Exercitations concerning the name, original, nature, use, and continuance of a day of sacred…

§. 27 The Practice of the Apostles, and the Apostolical Churches, owned the Authority of Christ in this change of the Day of sacred Rest. For hence forward, whatever apprehensions any of them might have of the continuance of the Judaical Sabbath, as some of them judged that the whole service of it was still to be continued, yet they observed this Day of the Lord, as the time of their Assemblies and solemn worship. One or two instances hereof may be called over, Acts 20. 6, 7. We came to Troas in five days, where we abode seven days. And upon the first day of the week, when the Disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight. I doubt not but in the seven days that the Apostle abode there, he taught and preached as he had occasion in the houses of the Believers; but it was the first Day of the Week, when they used according to their duty, to assemble the whole body of them, for the celebration of the solemn Ordinances of the Church, synecdochically expressed by breaking of Bread. This they did, without any extraordinary warning or calling together; for in answer to their duty they were accustomed so to do. Such is the account that Justin Martyr gives of the ⟨p. 389⟩practice of all Churches in the next Age; [Greek or Hebrew]. On the Day called Sunday there is an assembly of all Christians, whether living in City or the Country; and because of their constant breaking of bread on this day, it was called Dies Panis, August. Epist 118. And Athanasius proved that he brake not a Chalice at such a time, because it was not the first Day of the Week when it was to be used, Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22 And whosoever reads this passage without prejudice, will grant, that it is a marvellous, abrupt, and uncouth expression, if it do not signify that which was in common observance amongst all the Disciples of Christ, which could have no other foundation but only that before laid down, of the Authority of the Lord Christ requiring it of them. And I doubt not but that Paul preached his farewell Sermon unto them, which continued until midnight, after all the ordinary service of the Church was performed. And all the Objections which I have met withal against this instance, amount to no more but this;

§. 27 The Practice of the Apostles, and the Apostolical Churches, owned the Authority of Christ in this change of the Day of sacred Rest. For hence forward, whatever apprehensions any of them might have of the continuance of the Judaical Sabbath, as some of them judged that the whole service of it was still to be continued, yet they observed this Day of the Lord, as the time of their Assemblies and solemn worship. One or two instances hereof may be called over,