An Argument for the Perpetuity of the Sabbath

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1841 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XV. TESTIMONY OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. Early and authentic ecclesiastical history confirms the view now presented. It states, indeed, in terms, that the Sabbath was changed from the seventh to the first day of the week, by authority of Christ himself; and also that the mode of keeping the one was transferred, so far as the genius of Christianity and the nature of the case would allow, to the other. Thus Clement of Alexandria (A. D. 192) says, "A Christian, according to the command of the gospel, observes the Lord's day" So that its observance, instead of being an accident, or a relic of Judaism, or in any way anti-Christian, was "according to the command of the gospel." JHhanasius also, (A. D. 326, ) renouncing the authority of the seventh day Sabbath, says, (De Semente, Ed. Colon. Tom. L p. 1060, ) "The Lord himself hath changed the day of the Sabbath to Lord's day." The testimony of Eusebius is still more to the purpose. He was born about A. D. 270, and died about 340. Mosheim says, he was "a man of vast reading and erudition." Till about forty years of age, he lived in great intimacy with the martyr Pamphilus, a learned and devout man of Cesarea, and founder of an extensive library there, to which Eusebius had free access. Eusebius as all admit, was an impartial as well as learned historian. He searched more thoroughly into the customs and antiquities of the church, than any other man in the early ages, and at Cesarea and elsewhere had access to the best helps for acquiring correct information. He is, by way of eminence, the ancient historiau of the church. His testimony on the subject before us is contained in his commentary on the Psalms, printed in Montfaucon's Collectio Nova Patrum, and is as follows: -- In commenting on...