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Q. Though the most proper Name of this Day of public Vorship, is, as St. John himself calls it, The Lord's Day, did the primitive Christians scruple to Rev. i. 10. call it Sunday?

Tert. A

A. No: Justin Martyr and Tertullian both call Just. Mar. it so; because it happened upon that Day of the Apol. 2. Week which by the Heathens was dedicated to the pol. v. ad. Sun; and therefore, as being best known to them, Nati Nation. the Fathers commonly made use of it, in their Apologies to the Heathen Governors: and it seldom passeth under any other Name in the Imperial Edicts of the first Christian Emperors. Besides, it may properly retain that Name; because dedicated to the Honour of our Saviour, who is by the Prophet called the Sun of Righteousness that was to Mal. iv. 2. arise with Healing in his Wings.

Q. In what Sense may the Lord's Day be called the Sabbath?

A. In that we rest on that Day from the Works of our ordinary Callings, and all other worldly Employments, and dedicate it to the immediate Worship of God, whose Service is perfect Freedom. But by Scripture, Antiquity, and all Ecclesiastical Writers, it is constantly appropriated to Saturday, the Day of the Jew's Sabbath, and but of late Years used to signify the Lord's Day; so that though the Charge of Judaism, upon those that use it in a Christian sense, appeareth too severe, yet upon many Respects it might be expedient but sparingly to distinguish the Day of the Christian Worship by the Name of the Sabbath.

Q. Was not the Sabbath anciently observed as well as the Lord's Day?

A. Though the Necessity of observing the Jewish Sabbath was vacated by the Apostolical Institution of the Lord's Day, and by our Saviour's having blotted out the Hand-writing of Ordinances; Col. ii. 14, whereby it became as unreasonable for any one to condemn a Christian for not observing the Jewish Sabbath, as it was for neglecting their other Cere

16.

Athan. de

Sement. 6. c. 8.

vi. c. 8.

monial Institutions: Yet, in the East, where the Gospel chiefly prevailed among the Jews, who retained a mighty Reverence for the Mosaical Rites ; the Church thought fit so far to indulge the Humour of the Judaizing Converts, as to observe SaSocr. Hist. turday as a Festival Day of Devotion, whereon they Eccl. Lib. met for public Prayers, and for the Exercise of Basil. other Duties of Religion, as is plain from several Passages in the Ancients. But, however, to prevent Scandal, they openly declared, they did it only in a Christian Way, and observed it not as a Jewish Subbath; and this Custom was so far from being universal, that at the same Time all over the West, except at Milan in Italy, Saturday was kept as a Fast.

Epist. 289.

ad Cæs.

Can. 20.

Q. What particular Custom did the Primitive Christians observe in their Devotions on the Lord's Day?

A. They prayed standing; symbolically representing our Resurrection or Restitution by the Grace of Christ, by which we are delivered from our Sins, and from the Power of Death. And this Custom was maintained with so much Vigour, that when some began to neglect it, the great Council of Nice ordained that there should be a constant Uniformity in this Case; and that on the Lord's Day, Men should stand when they made their Prayers to God.

Q. Is it proper to fast on the Lord's Day?

A. No: Because it is to be celebrated with Expressions of Joy, as being the happy Memorial of Christ's Resurrection; and therefore whatever savoureth of Sadness and Sorrow ought to be reTertul. de strained. The Primitive Christians prohibited it with great Severity, and never fasted on it though in the Time of Lent: The Heretics, who denied the Resurrection of Christ, fasted on all Sundays, because they would not honour the Mystery.

Coron.

c. 3.

Euseb. de

Vit. Con.

Q. Did the Christian Emperors use their Authority to oblige their Subjects to keep this Day holy?

A. Constantine and Theodosius both prohibited 1, 4. c. 18, the Profanation of this Day, either by the Works of

Men's ordinary Calling, even of those who are yet Strangers and Enemies to Christianity; or by any cod. Just. public Shews; that the Worship of God might not de Feriis. be confounded with those profane Solemnities.

Q. How ought Christians to observe this Day? A. It is not enough that we rest from the Works of our Calling, but our Time must be employed in all such Religious Exercises as tend to the Glory of God, and the Salvation of our Souls. We must regularly frequent the Worship of God in the public Assemblies, join in the Prayers of the Church, hear his holy Word, receive the blessed Sacrament when administered, and contribute to the Relief of the Poor, if there be any Collection for their Support. In private, we ought to enlarge our ordinary Devotions, and to make the Subject of them chiefly to consist in Thanksgivings for the Works of Creation and Redemption; withal, recollecting all those particular Mercies we have received from the Bounty of Heaven through the whole Course of our Lives: To improve our Knowledge by reading and meditating upon Divine Subjects; to instruct our Children and Families; to visit the Sick and the Poor, comforting them by some seasonable Assistance; and if we converse with our Friends and Neighbours, to season our Discourse with prudent and profitable Hints for the Advancement of Piety; and to take Care that no Sourness or Moroseness mingle with our serious Frame of Mind,

Q. What seems to be the most obligatory Duty upon this Day?

4. The being present at the Assemblies of Public Worship, from which Nothing but Sickness or absolute Necessity should detain us. For the Day being dedicated not only to the Honour and Worship of God, but also appointed to this End, that we might openly profess ourselves Christians, it must be an Argument we are very little concerned to do either, if we abstain from God's solemn Worship at such Times. Nothing troubled the primitive Christians C

1. 3. tit. 12.

1.2. ib. 1. 7.

more, than, when sick and in Prison, or under Banishment, that they could not come to Church; no trivial Pretences were then admitted for any one's Absence from the Congregation, but, according to the Merit of the Cause, severe Censures were passed upon them.

Q. What are the great Advantages of the Religious Observation of the Lord's Day?

4. It keeps up the Solemn and Public Worship of God, which might be very much neglected, if it were left to depend upon the Determinations of Human Authority. It preserves the Knowledge and visible Profession of the Christian Religion in the World, when, notwithstanding the great Differences there are among Christians in other matters, they yet all concur in observing this Day in Memory of our Saviour's Resurrection. And considering how much Time is taken up, by the greatest Part of Mankind, in providing for the Necessaries of Life; and how negligent and careless they are in the Concerns of their Souls, who flow in Plenty and Abundance; this stated Season is highly useful to instruct the Ignorant by Preaching and Catechising, and to put those in Mind of their Duty, who in their Prosperity are apt to forget God. Moreover, by spending this Day in Religious Exercises, we acquire new Strength and Resolution to perform God's Will in our several Stations the Week following.

Q. Since a great Part of the Duty of the Day consists in Thanksgiving, pray what is implied in that Duty?

A. A due Acknowledgment of God's Blessings; a just Value and Esteem of them; and a Desire and Endeavour to make all possible Returns.

Q. When may we be said duly to acknowledge God's Mercies?

A. When we do not let them pass undiscerned and unregarded by us, but carefully consider and take Notice of them; and when we do not ascribe the good Things he has given us to our own Deserts

and Endeavours, or to any other Thing or Creature, but only to him. All glorying in ourselves takes from the Acknowledgment of the Giver's Bounty.

Q. When may we be said to have a just Value and Esteem of God's Mercies?

A. When we retain them in our Memory, and make frequent Reflections upon them; it being natural to remember those Things we highly prize. When we do not grudge or repine at our Portion, but are contented with those Circumstances which the Providence of God has made to be our Lot.

Q. What Return ought we to make to God as a Testimony of our Thankfulness?

A. We ought to profess our Dependence upon him, and our Obligations to him for the good Things we enjoy. We ought to publish to the World our Sense of his Goodness with the Voice of Praise, and tell of all his wondrous Works. We ought to comfort his Servants and Children in their Afflictions, and relieve his poor distressed Members in their manifold Necessities; for he that giveth Ecclus. Alms, sacrificeth Praise. We ought carefully to' obey him in all those Instances wherein he has declared his Will and Pleasure, and be ready to sacrifice the dearest Things in this World, even our Lives, for the Advancement of his Glory, and the Maintenance of his Truth.

THE PRAYERS.

I.

xxxv. 2.

for a de

Vout Ob

of the

GLORY be to thee, O my God, who in Compas- Bp. Kenn. sion to human Weakness, which is not capable of an uninterrupted Contemplation of thee, such servation as the Saints have above, hast appointed a solemn Lord's Day on Purpose for thy Remembrance. Glory be Day. to thee, for proportioning a seventh Part of our Time to thyself, and liberally indulging the Remainder to our own Use. Let me ever esteem it my Privilege and my Happiness, to have a Day of

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