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In _St. Jerome's_ time, (that is, in the fifth century,) Christianity had got into the throne as well as into the empire. Yet for all this, the entire sanctification of the Lord's day proceeded slowly; and that it was the work of time to bring it to perfection, appears from the several steps the church made in her constitution, and from the decrees of emperors and other princes, wherein the prohibitions from servile and civil business advanced by degrees from one species to another, till the day got a considerable figure in the world. The same author says, on the same page:
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If the Christians in St. Jerome's time, after divine service on the Lord's day, followed their daily employments, it should be remembered, that this was not done till the worship was quite over, when they might with innocency enough resume them, because the length of time and the number of hours assigned for piety were not then so well explained as in after ages.
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Many also observed the fourth day, in which Christ was betrayed, and the sixth day, in which he was crucified. He adds,
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The time of assembling was generally in the evening after sunset, or in the morning before the dawn.
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Our ancestors in England, before the light of the Gospel came among them, went very far in this idolatry, and dedicated the first day of the week to the adoration of the idol of the Sun, and gave it the name of Sunday. This idol they placed in a temple, and there sacrificed to it. He further states, that from his historical reading, he finds that a great part of the world, and particularly those parts of it which have since embraced Christianity, did anciently adore the Sun upon Sunday. It is also stated by _Dr. Chambers_, in his Cyclopedia, that
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Sunday was so called by our idolatrous ancestors, because set apart for the worship of the Sun. The Greeks and the Latins also gave the same name to the first day of the week. _Dr. Brownlee_, as quoted by _Kingsbury_, on the Sabbath, p. 223, also says,
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When the descendants of Adam apostatized from the worship of the true God, they substituted in his place the Sun, that luminary which, more than all others, strikes the minds of savage people with religious awe; and which, therefore, all heathens worship. Attachment to particular days of religious celebration, from habit merely, is well known, even in our own day, to be very strong, and powerful convictions of duty are often required to produce a change. This was no doubt well understood by the teachers of Christianity in those times. _Dr. Mosheim_, when treating on that age, says,
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We assemble on Saturday, not that we are infected with Judaism, but to worship Jesus the Lord of the Sabbath. In a community of Christians whose religion was formal, and whose celebrations were designed more to act upon their passions and senses than to improve their hearts or to conform them to divine requirements, a more powerful argument could scarcely be used against the Sabbath day, or one that would more effectually promote the observance of the first day, which was raised up as its rival. _Dr. Neander_ says distinctly,
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Opposition to Judaism introduced the particular festival of Sunday very early.
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Hence, says _Eusebius_,
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The bishops of Asia, however, persisted for a considerable time in observing the custom handed down to them by apostolic tradition, until, either by the threats of excommunication which were made, or by a desire for peace, they were induced partially to adopt the custom of the western churches. This change was made, as we are told,
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But the question does not appear to have been fully settled; for we find _Constantine_, in an epistle to the churches, urging them to uniformity in the day of the celebration, wherein, after a strong invective against the practice of the Jews, he says,
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For we have learned another way from our Saviour, which we may follow. It is indeed most absurd that they should have occasion of insolent boasting on account of our not being able to observe these things in any manner unless by the aid of their instruction.
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Wherefore, let us have nothing in common with that most odious brood of the Jews.