4e-sundayworship,churchvisibility,Shism
Sunday Worship
"On the Lord’s own day, assemble in common to break bread and offer thanks, but first confess your sins so that your sacrifice may be pure." Didache,14(A.D. 70),in ACW,VI:23 "If, therefore, those who were brought up in the ancient order of things have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord’s Day, on which also our life has sprung up again by Him and by His death--whom some deny, by which mystery we have obtained faith, and therefore endure, that we may be found the disciples of Jesus Christ, our only Master" Ignatius,To the Magnesians,9:1(A.D. 110),in ANF,I:62
"The seventh day, therefore, is proclaimed a rest--abstraction from ills--preparing for the Primal Day,[ie. The Lord’s Day] our true rest; which, in truth, is the first creation of light, in which all things are viewed and possessed. From this day the first wisdom and knowledge illuminate us. For the light of truth--a light true, casting no shadow, is the Spirit of God indivisibly divided to all, who are sanctified by faith, holding the place of a luminary, in order to the knowledge of real existences. By following Him, therefore, through our whole life, we become impossible; and this is to rest." Clement of Alexandria,Stromata,6:16(A.D. 202),in ANF,II:512
"In fine, let him who contends that the Sabbath is still to be observed as a balm of salvation, and circumcision on the eighth day because of the threat of death, teach us that, for the time past, righteous men kept the Sabbath, or practised circumcision, and were thus rendered "friends of God." For if circumcision purges a man since God made Adam uncircumcised, why did He not circumcise him, even after his sinning, if circumcision purges? At all events, in settling him in paradise, He appointed one uncircumcised as colonist of paradise. Therefore, since God originated Adam uncircumcised, and inobservant of the Sabbath, consequently his offspring also, Abel, offering Him sacrifices, uncircumcised and inobservant of the Sabbath, was by Him commended; while He accepted what he was offering in simplicity of heart, and reprobated the sacrifice of his brother Cain, who was not rightly dividing what he was offering. Noah also, uncircumcised--yes, and inobservant of the Sabbath-God freed from the deluge. For Enoch, too, most righteous man, uncircumcised and in-observant of the Sabbath, He translated from this world; who did not first taste death, in order that, being a candidate for eternal life, he might by this time show us that we also may, without the burden of the law of Moses, please God."
Tertullian,An answer to the Jews,2(A.D. 203),in ANF,III:153
"The apostles further appointed: Onthe first day of the weeklet there be service, and the reading of the Holy Scriptures,and the oblation:because on the first day of the week our Lord rose from the lace of the dead and on the first day of the week He arose upon the world, and on the first day of the week He ascended up to heaven, and on the first day of the week He will appear at last with the angels of heaven."
Teaching of the Apostles,2(A.D. 225),in ANF,VIII:668
"Hence it is not possible that the rest after the Sabbath should have come into existence from the seventh of our God; on the contrary, it is our Saviour who, after the pattern of His own rest, caused us to be made in the likeness of His death, and hence also of His resurrection." Origen,Commentary on John,2:27(A.D. 229),in
ANF,X:342
"On the seventh day He rested from all His works, and blessed it, and sanctified it. On the former day we are accustomed to fast rigorously, that on the Lord’s day we may go forth to our bread with giving of thanks. And let the parasceve become a rigorous fast, lest we should appear to observe any Sabbath with the Jews, which Christ Himself, the Lord of the Sabbath, says by His prophets that ’His soul hateth;’ which Sabbath He in His body abolished" Victorinus,On the Creation of the World(A.D. 300),in ANF,VII:341-2 "They did not care about circumcision of the body, neither do we. They did not care about observing Sabbaths, nor do we." Eusebius,Church History,1:4,8(A.D. 312),in NPNF2,I:87
"Also that day which is holy and blessed in everything, which possesses the name of Christ, namely the Lord’s day, having risen upon us on the fourth of Pharmuthi (Mark 30), let us afterwards keep the holy feast of Pentecost." Athanasius,Epistle 9:11(A.D. 335),in NPNF2,VII:527
"Fall not away either into the sect of the Samaritans, or into Judaism: for Jesus Christ henceforth hath ransomed thee. Stand aloof from all observance of Sabbaths, and from calling any indifferent meats common or unclean." Cyril of Jerusalem,Catechetical Lectures,4:37(A.D. 350),in NPNF2,VII:
"Christians must not judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honouring the Lord’s Day; and, if they can, resting then as Christians. But if any shall be found to be judaizers, let them be anathema from Christ." Council of Laodicea,Canon 29(A.D. 360),in NPNF2,XIV:149
"For many other observances of the Churches, which are due to tradition, have acquired the authority of the written law, as for instance the practice of dipping the head three times in the layer, and then, after leaving the water, of tasting mingled milk and honey in representation of infancy; and, again, the practices of standing up in worship on the Lord’s day, and ceasing from fasting every Pentecost; and there are many other unwritten practices which have won their place through reason and custom. So you see we follow the practice of the Church, although it may be clear that a person was baptized before the Spirit was invoked."
Jerome,Dialogue against the Luciferians,8(A.D. 382),in NPNF2,VI:324
"Then as one whom they must respect, there will be the presbyter among them and this will contribute to the security of the estate. There will be constant prayers there through thee hymns and Communions through thee; the Oblationon each Lord’s Day." John Chrysostom,Acts of the Apostles,Homily 18(A.D. 388),in NPNF1,XI:118
"And on the day of our Lord’s resurrection, which is the Lord’s day, meet more diligently, sending praise to God that made the universe by Jesus, and sent Him to us, and condescended to let Him suffer, and raised Him from the dead. Otherwise what apology will he make to God who does not assemble on that day to hear the saving word concerning the resurrection, on which we pray thrice standing in memory of Him who arose in three days, in which is performed the reading of the prophets, the preaching of the Gospel, theoblation of the sacrifice, the gift of the holy food?"Apostolic Constitutions,2,7:59(A.D. 400),in ANF,VII:423
"Well, now, I should like to be told what there is in these ten commandments, except the observance of the Sabbath, which ought not to be kept by a Christian,--whether it prohibit the making and worshipping of idols and of any other gods than the one true God, or the taking of God’s name in vain; or prescribe honour to parents; or give warning against fornication, murder, theft, false witness, adultery, or coveting other men’s property? Which of these commandments would any one say that the Christian ought not to keep? Is it possible to contend that it is not the law which was written on those two tables that the apostle describes as ’the letter that killeth,’ but the law of circumcision and the other sacred rites which are now abolished? But then how can we think so, when in the law occurs this precept, ’Thou shall not covet,’ by which very commandment, notwithstanding its being holy, just, and good, ’sin,’ says the apostle, ’deceived me, and by it slew me?’ What else can this be than ’the letter’ that ’killeth’? " Augustine,Spirit and the Letter,23:14(A.D. 412),in NPNF1,V:93
"He[Constantine] also enjoined the observance of the day termed the Lord’s day, which the Jews call the first day of the week, and which the pagans dedicate to the sun, as likewise the day before the seventh, and commanded that no judicial or other business should be transacted on those days, but that God should be served with prayers and supplications. He honored the Lord’s day, because on it Christ arose from the dead, and the day above mentioned, because on it he was crucified." Sozomon,Ecclesiastical History,1:8(A.D. 443),in NPNF2,II:245
"It has come to my ears that certain men of perverse spirit have sown among you some things that are wrong opposed to the holy faith, so as to forbid any work being done on the Sabbath day. What else can I call these but preachers of Antichrist, who, when he comes, will cause the Sabbath day as well as the Lord’s day to be kept free from all work. For, because he pretends to die and rise again, he wishes the Lord’s day to be had in reverence; and, because he compels the people to judaize that he may bring back the outward rite of the law, and subject the per-tidy of the Jews to himself, he wishes the Sabbath to be observed. For this which is said by the prophet, ’Ye shall bring in no burden through your gates on the Sabbath day’, could be held to as long as it was lawful for the law to be observed according to the letter. But after that the grace of Almighty God, our Lord Jesus Christ has appeared, the commandments of the law which were spoken figuratively cannot be kept according to the letter. For, if any one says that this about the Sabbath is to be kept, he must needs say that carnal sacrifices are to be offered: he must say too that the commandment about the circumcision of the body is still to be retained. But let him hear the Apostle Paul saying in opposition to him, ’If ye be circumcised, Christ profiteth you nothing’." Pope Gregory the Great[regn. A.D. 590-604],To the Roman Citizens,Epistle 13:1(A.D. 597),in NPNF2,XIII:92 This text may downloaded and viewed for private reading only. This text may not be used by another Web site or published, electronically or otherwise, without the written permission of the copyright holder.
Joseph A. Gallegos © 2001 All Rights Reserved. The Visibility of the Catholic Church
"Now all these [heretics] are of much later date than the bishops to whom the apostles committed the Churches; which fact I have in the third book taken all pains to demonstrate. It follows, then, as a matter of course, that these heretics aforementioned, since they are blind to the truth, and deviate from the [right] way, will walk in various roads; and therefore the footsteps of their doctrine are scattered here and there without agreement or connection. But the path of those belonging to the Church circumscribes the whole world, as possessing the sure tradition from the apostles, and gives unto us to see that the faith of all is one and the same ... And undoubtedly the preaching of the Church is true and stedfast, in which one and the same way of salvation is shown throughout the whole world. For to her is entrusted the light of God; and therefore the "wisdom" of God, by means of which she saves all men, ’is declared in [its] going forth; it uttereth [its voice] faithfully in the streets, is preached on the tops of the walls, and speaks continually in the gates of the city.’ For the Church preaches the truth everywhere, and she is the seven-branched candlestick which bears the light of Christ.
Those, therefore, who desert the preaching of the Church, call in question the knowledge of the holy presbyters, not taking into consideration of how much greater consequence is a religious man, even in a private station, than a blasphemous and impudent sophist. Now, such are all the heretics, and those who imagine that they have hit upon something more beyond the truth ... not keeping always to the same opinions with regard to the same things, as blind men are led by the blind, they shall deservedly fall into the ditch of ignorance lying in their path, ever seeking and never finding out the truth. It behoves us, therefore, to avoid their doctrines, and to take careful heed lest we suffer any injury from them; but to flee to the Church, and be brought up in her bosom, and be nourished with the Lord’s Scriptures. For the Church has been planted as a garden (paradisus) in this world; therefore says the Spirit of God, ’Thou mayest freely eat from every tree of the garden,’ that is, Eat ye from every Scripture of the Lord; but ye shall not eat with an uplifted mind, nor touch any heretical discord." Irenaeus,Against Heresies,5:20 (A.D. 180),in ANF,I:547-8
"I shall at once go on, then, to exhibit the peculiarities of the Christian society, that, as I have refuted the evil charged against it, I may point out its positive good. We are a body knit together as such by a common religious profession, by unity of discipline, and by the bond of a common hope. We meet together as an assembly and congregation, that, offering up prayer to God as with united force, we may wrestle with Him in our supplications. This violence God delights in. We pray, too, for the emperors, for their ministers and for all in authority, for the welfare of the world, for the prevalence of peace, for the delay of the final consummation. We assemble to read our sacred writings, if any peculiarity of the times makes either forewarning or reminiscence needful. However it be in that respect, with the sacred words we nourish our faith, we animate our hope, we make our confidence more stedfast; and no less by inculcations of God’s precepts we confirm good habits." Tertullian,Apology,39:1(A.D. 197),in ANF,III:46
"To sum up all in one word--what the soul is in the body, that are Christians in the world. The soul is dispersed through all the members of the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world. The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians dwell in the world, yet are not of the world. The invisible soul is guarded by the visible body, and Christians are known indeed to be in the world, but their godliness remains invisible." Letter to Diognetus,6:1(A.D. 200),in ANF,I:27
"You may learn, if you will, the crowning wisdom of the all-holy Shepherd and Instructor, of the omnipotent andpaternal Word, when He figuratively represents Himself as the Shepherd of the sheep. And He is the Tutor of the children. He says therefore by Ezekiel, directing His discourse to the elders, and setting before them a salutary description of His wise solicitude: ’And that which is lame I will bind up, and that which is sick I will heal, and that which has wandered I will turn back; and I will feed them on my holy mountain.’ Such are the promises of the good Shepherd. Feed us, the children, as sheep. Yea, Master, fill us with righteousness, Thine own pasture; yea, O Instructor, feed us on Thy holy mountain the Church, which towers aloft, which is above the clouds, which touches heaven." Clement of Alexandria,The Instructor,I:9(A.D. 202),in ANF,II:230-1
"We are not to give heed to those who say, Behold here is Christ, but show him not in the Church, which is filled with brightness from the East even unto the West; which is filled with true light; is the ’pillar and ground of truth’; in which, as a whole,is the whole advent of the Son of Man, who saith to all men throughout the universe,’Behold, I am with you all the days of life even unto the consumption of the world.’ "
Origen, Commentary on Matthew,Tract 30(A.D. 244),in FOC,194-195
"Separate a ray of the sun from its body of light, its unity does not allow a division of light; break a branch from a tree,--when broken, it will not be able to bud; cut off the stream from its fountain, and that which is cut off dries up. Thus also the Church, shone over with the light of the Lord, sheds forth her rays over the whole world,yet it is one light which is everywhere diffused, nor is the unity of the body separated. Her fruitful abundance spreads her branches over the whole world. She broadly expands her rivers, liberally flowing, yet her head is one, her source one; and she is one mother, plentiful in the results of fruitfulness: from her womb we are born, by her milk we are nourished, by her spirit we are animated."Cyprian,Unity of the Church,5(A.D. 256),in ANF,V:423
" ’A city built upon a mountain cannot be hid’ The light, or lamp of Christ, is not now to be hidden under a bushel, nor to be concealed by any covering of the synagogue,but, hung on the wood of the Passion, it will give an everlasting light to those that dwell in the church. He also admonishes the apostles to shine with like splendour, that by the admiration of their deeds, praise may be given to God."
Hilary of Poitiers,Commentary on Matthew,5:13(A.D. 355),in FOC,196-7
" ’And his throne as the sun before me.’ Understand, by the ’throne’ of Christ, the Church; for in it he rests. The Church of Christ, then, he says, shall be refulgent and enlighten all under heaven, and be abiding as the sun and the moon. For this passage says so: ’His throne as the sun before me, and as the moon perfect forever, and a faithful witness in heaven.’ " Athanasius,Exposition in the Psalms 88:1-18(ante A.D. 373),in FOC,197
"Not therefore on that Mount Sion does Isaias look down upon the valley, but on that holy mountain which is the church, that mountain which lifts its head over the whole Roman world under heaven...a church which is throughout the world, wherein there is one Catholic church."Optatus of Mileve,Against the Donatist,3:2(A.D. 384), in FOC, 197
" ’And in the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on the top of the mountains’ The house of the Lord, ’prepared on the top of the mountains,’ is the church, according to the declaration of the apostle, ’Know,’ he says, ’how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God’Whose foundations are on the holy mountains, for it is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. One also of these mountains was Peter, upon which the rock the Lord promised to build his church." Basil,Commentary on Isaiah,2:66(A.D. 375),in FOC,197-8 "It is an easier thing for the sun to be quenched, than for the church to be made invisible."
Chrysostom,In illud: vidi Dom.(ante A.D. 407),in FOC,198
" PETILIANUS said: ’If you declare that yon hold the Catholic Church, the word ’catholic’ is merely the Greek equivalent for entire or whole. But it is clear that you are not in the whole, because you have gone aside into the part.’
AUGUSTIN answered: I too indeed have attained to a very slight knowledge of the Greek language, scarcely to be called knowledge at all, yet I am not shameless in saying that I know that means not ’one,’ but ’the whole;’ and that means "according to the whole:" whence the Catholic Church received its name, according to saying of the Lord, ’It is not for you to know the times, which the Father hath put in His own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and even in the whole earth.’ Here you have the origin of the name ’Catholic.’ But you are so bent upon running with your eyes shut against the mountain which grew out of a small stone, according to the prophecy of Daniel, and filled the whole earth, that you actually tell us that we have gone aside into a part, and are not in the whole among those whose communion is spread throughout the whole earth. But just in the same way as, supposing you were to say that I was Petilianus, I should not be able to find any method of refuting you unless I were to laugh at you as being in jest, or mourn over you as being mad, so in the present case I see that I have no other choice but this; and since I do not believe that you are in jest, you see what alternative remains." Augustine,Answer to Letters of Petilian,2:38[90](A.D. 400),in NPNF1,IV:554-555
"For the church is in lofty and conspicuous, and well known to all men in every place. It is also lofty in another sense; for her thoughts have nothing earthly, but she is above all that is earthly, and with the eyes of the understanding, looks upon, as far as it is possible, the glory of God, and glories in doctrines truly exalted, concerning God ... Wherefore, with justice may the hous of God be called a mountain(known) by the understanding, and it is perfectly visible, as being raised upon the hills; and one may say of it, and with great cause, what as a notable illustration was uttered by the mouth of the Saviour: ’A city placed upon a hill cannot be hidden’ " Cyril of Alexandria,Commentary on Isaias,(ante A. 429),in FOC,202 This text may downloaded and viewed for private reading only. This text may not be used by another Web site or published, electronically or otherwise, without the written permission of the copyright holder.
Joseph A. Gallegos © 2000 All Rights Reserved.
Schism
"Why are there strifes, and tumults, and divisions, and schisms, and wars among you? Have we not [all] one God and one Christ? Is there not one Spirit of grace poured out upon us? And have we not one calling in Christ? Why do we divide and tear to pieces the members of Christ, and raise up strife against our own body, and have reached such a height of madness as to forget that "we are members one of another?" Remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, how He said, "Woe to that man [by whom offences come]! It were better for him that he had never been born, than that he should cast a stumbling-block before one of my elect. Yea, it were better for him that a millstone should be hung about [his neck], and he should be sunk in the depths of the sea, than that he should cast a stumbling-block before one of my little ones. Your schism has subverted [the faith of] many, has discouraged many, has given rise to doubt in many, and has caused grief to us all. And still your sedition continueth." Clement of Rome[regn c.A.D. 91-101],To the Corinthians,46(A.D. 91),in ANF,I:17-18
3
"Let no man deceive himself: if any one be not within the altar, he is deprived of the bread of God."Ignatius of Antioch,To the Ephesians 5:1-33(A.D. 110),in ANF,I:51
"For there are many wolves in sheep’s clothing, who, by means of a pernicious pleasure, carry captive(3) those that are running towards God; but in your unity they shall have no place." Ignatius of Antioch,To the Philadelphians,2(A.D. 110),in ANF,I:80
"Do not err, my brethren. If any man follows him that makes a schism in the Church, he shall not inherit the kingdom of God. If any one walks according to a strange opinion, he agrees not with the passion [of Christ.]" Ignatius of Antioch,To the Philadelphians,3(A.D. 110),in ANF,I:80
"For there is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup to [show forth] the unity of His blood; one altar." Ignatius of Antioch,To the Philadelphians,4(A.D. 110),in ANF,I:81 "But flee from all abominable heresies, and those that cause schisms, as the beginning of evils."
Ignatius of Antioch,To the Smyrnaens,7(A.D. 110),in ANF,I:89
"See that ye follow the bishop, even as Christ Jesus does the Father."Ignatius of Antioch,To the Smyrnaens,8:2(A.D. 110),in ANF,I:89
"But those who cleave asunder, and separate the unity of the Church, [shall] receive from God the same punishment as Jeroboam did."
Irenaeus,Against Heresies,4,26:2(A.D. 180),in ANF,I:497
"Whence you ought to know that the bishop is in the Church, and the Church in the bishop; and if any one be not with the bishop, that he is not in the Church." Cyprian, To Florentius,Epistle 68[66]:8(A.D. 254),in ANF,V:375
"Separate a ray of the sun from its body of light, its unity does not allow a division of light; break a branch from a tree,--when broken, it will not be able to bud; cut off the stream from its fountain, and that which is cut off dries up. Thus also the Church, shone over with the light of the Lord, sheds forth her rays over the whole world, yet it is one light which is everywhere diffused, nor is the unity of the body separated."Cyprian,Unity of the Church,5(A.D. 256),in ANF,V:423
"The spouse of Christ cannot be adulterous; she is uncorrupted and pure. She knows one home; she guards with chaste modesty the sanctity of one couch. She keeps us for God. She appoints the sons whom she has born for the kingdom. Whoever is separated from the Church and is joined to an adulteress, is separated from the promises of the Church; nor can he who forsakes the Church of Christ attain to the rewards of Christ. He is a stranger; he is profane; he is an enemy. He can no longer have God for his Father, who has not the Church for his mother. If any one could escape who was outside the ark of Noah, then he also may escape who shall be outside of the Church...He who does not hold this unity does not hold God’s law, does not hold the faith of the Father and the Son, does not hold life and salvation."Cyprian,Unity of the Church,5(A.D. 256),in ANF,V:423
"What does the fierceness of wolves do in the Christian breast? What the savageness of dogs, and the deadly venom of serpents, and the sanguinary cruelty of wild beasts? We are to be congratulated when such as these are separated from the Church, lest they should lay waste the doves and sheep of Christ with their cruel and envenomed contagion." Cyprian,Unity of the Church,9(A.D. 256),in ANF,V:424
"Let none think that the good can depart from the Church. The wind does not carry away the wheat, nor does the hurricane uproot the tree that is based on a solid root. The light straws are tossed about by the tempest, the feeble trees are overthrown by the onset of the whirlwind." Cyprian,Unity of the Church,9(A.D. 256),in ANF,V:424
"Do they deem that they have Christ with them when they are collected together, who are gathered together outside the Church of Christ?" Cyprian,Unity of the Church,13(A.D. 256),in ANF,V:426
"Only-Begotten. At this time the altogether wicked heretics and ignorant schismatics are in the same case; the one in that they slay the Word, the other in that they rend the coat." Athanasius,Festal Letter 6,6(A.D. 334),in NPNF2,IV:521 "For you have said, among other things, that schismatics are cut off like branches from the vine, and, being destined for punishment, are reserved like dry wood forthe fires of Gehenna."Optatus of Mileve,The Schism of the Donatist,1:10(A.D. 367),in OPT,10
"Indeed it would be monstrous to feel pleasure in the schisms and divisions of the Churches, and not to consider that the greatest of goods consists in the knitting together of the members of Christ’s body." Basil,To Evagrius,Epistle 156:1(A.D. 373),in NPNF2,VIII:211
"Heretics bring sentence upon themselves since they by their own choice withdraw from the Church, a withdrawal which, since they are aware of it, constitutes damnation. Between heresy and schism separates one from the Church on account of disagreement with the bishop."
Jerome,Commentaries on the Epistle to Titus,3:10(A.D. 386),in JUR,II:194
"And this confession is indeed rightly made by them, for they have not the succession of Peter, who hold not the chair of Peter, which they rend by wicked schism; and this, too, they do, wickedly denying that sins can be forgiven even in the Church, whereas it was said to Peter: "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven." Ambrose,Concerning Repentance,33(A.D. 390),in NPNF2,X:334
"But heretics, in holding false opinions regarding God, do injury to the faith itself; while schismatics, on the other hand, in wicked separations break off from brotherly charity, although they may believe just what we believe." Augustine,On Faith and Creed,10(A.D. 393),in NPNF1,III:331
"In the time of Donatus, from whom his followers were called Donatists, when great numbers in Africa were rushing headlong into their own mad error, and unmindful of their name, their religion, their profession, were preferring the sacrilegious temerity of one man before the Church of Christ, then they alone throughout Africa were safe within the sacred precincts of the Catholic faith, who, detesting the profane schism, continued in communion with the universal Church, leaving to posterity an illustrious example, how, and how well in future the soundness of the whole body should be preferred before the madness of one, or at most of a few." Vincent of Lerins,Commonitories,9(A.D. 434),in NPNF2,XI:133
"Furthermore, those whom the error of the schismatics severs from the unity of the Church, strive ye, for your own reward, to recall to the unity of concord." Gregory the Great[regn A.D. 590-604],To Brunichild,Epistle 11(A.D. 597),in NPNF2,XIII:8 This text may downloaded and viewed for private reading only. This text may not be used by another Web site or published, electronically or otherwise, without the written permission of the copyright holder.
Joseph A. Gallegos © 2001 All Rights Reserved.