Divine Authority Claimed for Sunday

It seems a little strange to us to read of such things; but they were regarded as sober facts by the historians of those times, and as strong arguments for Sunday sacredness.ChSa 128.2

We must not fail to mention the roll “which came down from heaven,” in which the first authority from Christ is found in behalf of Sunday. The one great lack hitherto had been divine authority for it. None was claimed by the early Fathers. “Tradition” and “custom,” as we have seen, were all the authority for it which could be found until emperors and popes added theirs. But even in those dark ages the want of something more was needed. Council after council was held to enforce it, yet the people were not so impressed by them that they would wholly refrain from labor on the venerable Sunday. Something more must be obtained.ChSa 128.3

In the year 1200, Eustace, the abbot of Flaye, in Normandy, came to England, and labored very ardently in behalf of Sunday. But meeting with opposition in his efforts, he returned to Normandy. Although repulsed, he did not abandon the contest. After remaining there about a year, he returned with this remarkable roll. It was entitled:ChSa 128.4

“The Holy Commandment As To The Lord’s Day,ChSa 129.1

“Which came from heaven to Jerusalem, and was found upon the altar of Saint Simeon, in Golgotha, where Christ was crucified for the sins of the world. The Lord sent down this epistle, which was found upon the altar of Saint Simeon, and after looking upon which three days and three nights, some men fell upon the earth imploring mercy of God. And after the third hour, the patriarch a rose, and Acharias, the archbishop, and they opened the scroll, and received the holy epistle from God. And when they had taken the same, they found this writing therein:ChSa 129.2

“I am the Lord who commanded you to observe the holy day of the Lord, and you have not kept it, and have not repented of your sins, as I have said in my gospel, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Whereas I cause to be preached unto you repentance and amendment of life, you did not believe me, I have sent against you the pagans, who have shed your blood on the earth. And yet you have not believed; and because you did not keep the Lord’s day holy, for a few days you suffered hunger, but soon I gave you fullness, and after that you did still worse again. Once more, it is my will that no one from the ninth hour on Saturday until sunrise on Monday, shall do no work except that which is good.ChSa 129.3

“And if any person shall do so, he shall with penance make amends for the same. And if you do not pay obedience to this command, verily I say unto you, and I swear unto you, by my seat, and by my throne, and by the cherubim who watch my holy seat, that I will give you my commands by no other epistle, but I will open the heavens, and for rain I will drop upon you stones, and wood, and hot water in the night, that no one may take precautions against the same, and so that I may destroy all wicked men.ChSa 129.4

“This do I say unto you; for the Lord’s holy day, you shall die the death. And for the other festivals of my saints which you have not kept, I will send unto you beasts which have the heads of lions, the hair of women, the tails of camels, and they shall be so ravenous that they shall devour your flesh, and you shall long to flee away to the tombs of the dead, and to hide yourselves for fear of the beasts. And I will take away the light of the sun from before your eyes, and will send darkness upon you, that not seeing, you may slay one another, and that I may remove from you my face, and may not show mercy upon you. For I will burn the bodies and the hearts of you, and of all those who do not keep as holy the day of the Lord.” (See Andrews’s History of the Sabbath,ChSa 129.5

Second Edition, pages 386-389; Matthew Paris’s Historia Major, pages 200, 201, edition 1640; Heylyn’s History of the Sabbath, part 2, chapter 7, section 5; Morer’s Lord’s Day, page 288-290; Gilfillan’s The Sabbath, page 399, and many others.)ChSa 130.1

We have given over one half of this famous document, which in view of our brief space, will perhaps suffice. That such a document was actually brought into England at the time mentioned, and used with strong effect to enforce the observance of Sunday, does not admit of any doubt. It is substantiated by all the reliable historians of that age. To read such a document in this skeptical age, may appear to us a little ludicrous. But at the time it was written, the height of the Dark Ages, it was far different. That was the age of relics, an age when a nail or a piece of wood of the true cross was of inestimable value; when the bones, toe-nails, and other mementoes of the saints were considered of the highest worth. The credulity of the people knew no bounds, and the Romish priests took every advantage of it. It was by such means as this, that support was supplied and holiness ascribed to the “venerable day of the sun.”ChSa 130.2

There is no question but that this remarkable document came from the pope himself. This is stated on the authority of Matthew Paris, who, Dr. Murdoch says, “is accounted the best historian of the Middle Ages-learned, independent, honest, and judicious!” Mosheim also says that the first place was due to him as “a writer of the highest merit.”ChSa 130.3

This writer says:ChSa 130.4

“But when the patriarch and clergy of all the Holy Land had diligently examined the contents of this epistle, it was decreed in a general deliberation that the epistle should be sent to the judgment of the Roman pontiff, seeing that whatever he decreed to be done, would please all. And when at length the epistle had come to the knowledge of the lord pope, immediately he ordained heralds, who, being sent through different parts of the world, preached everywhere the doctrine of this epistle, among whom the abbot of Flay,ChSa 130.5

Eustachius by name, a devout and learned man, having entered the kingdom of England, did there shine with many miracles.”-Matthezu.Paris’s Historia Major, Page 201.ChSa 131.1

Innocent III. was pope at that time, and no pontiff that ever sat in the papal chair exceeded him in efforts to elevate and strengthen the popish power. It was by such steps as these that the Roman Church advanced the interests of Sunday. Custom, tradition, the edicts of emperors, popes and councils, counterfeit miracles, and rolls manufactured by priestly craft, and palmed off as of heavenly origin, upon the ignorant, bigoted, and credulous multitude by the sanction of the pope and higher prelates, these are the foundations upon which the Sunday Sabbath rests.ChSa 131.2

It is stated by historians that the Lord’s day was better observed because of this second roll, and the work of this zealous abbot in England. It had, doubtless, a strong influence in many places in that superstitious age.ChSa 131.3

Having thus traced the Sunday down to the middle of the Dark Ages, we will next notice it in the time of the Reformation.ChSa 131.4