A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…

When Thomas being absent from the Assembly the first Lords day, did miss the sight of Christ and was unbelieving, Christ left him a whole week in his unbelief, and would not heal him till the next Lords day, which he honoured with that cure. Then the Disciples being met again, Christ came among them, and convinced Thomas.

On another Lords day, they were all with one accord in one place, and the Holy Ghost was in the extraordinary measure given them. And Acts 20. 7. it is mentioned as the custom of the Disciples, to come together on the first day of the week to break bread; and Paul then preached to them even till midnight. And 1 Cor. 16. 1, 2. the Collections for the Saints were made every first day of the week in all the Churches of Galatia, and at Corinth, because they had then their holy Assemblies. And therefore Rev. 1. 10. it is called peculiarly the Lords day.

2. But to clear this past all rational doubting, we find in all the writings of the ancients, and history of the Church, that all the Churches through the world unanimously observed the Lords day as instituted by Christ or the Holy Ghost in the Apostles; none ever questioning or contradicting it, that ever I read of. He that hath read the writings of the Ancients, and denieth this, is unworthy to be disputed with. The practice of the universal Church is a full exposition of the fore-cited Scriptures; and though it be no Law to us it self, yet is it a full discovery of the fact (telling us what was the primitive practice) and so a discovery of the Law. And shall any private ignorant man, come in alter one thousand six hundred and twenty six years, and say the Apostles and all the Churches in the world have been deceived till this day,