Sunday Legislation

3/11

ITS INSPIRATION AND INITIATION

This original Sunday legislation was but a part of the grand ambition and scheme of the popular church of the time through politico-ecclesiastical connivance and intrigue with Constantine to establish a “kingdom of God” on earth; and this in the very thought and purpose of an earthly theocracy. For there had in fact arisen in the church “a false theocratical theory ... which might easily result in the formation of a sacerdotal State, subordinating the secular to itself, in a false and outward way.” “This theocratical theory was already the prevailing one in the time of Constantine”; and “the bishops voluntarily made themselves dependent on him by their disputes and by their determination to make use of the power of the State for the furtherance of their aims.”—Neander. SLOC 8.3

Accordingly the whole scheme of a human theocracy in imitation of the original and divine one in the Scriptures, was definitely worked out by the bishops; and through Sunday legislation was made effective. This is absolutely unmistakable and undeniable in the history of the time. It is the plain thread thought of the whole ecclesiastical literature of the time; and stands crystallized in Bishop Eusebius’s “Life of Constantine.” “The church was Israel in Egypt oppressed by the Pharaoh Maxentius, and Constantine was the new doses who delivered this new oppressed Israel. The defeat of Maxentius by Constantine in the battle of the Milvian Bridge, and his drowning in the Tiber, was the overthrow of Pharaoh in the sea, and his “sinking to the bottom like a stone.” After this deliverance of the new Israel by this new Moses, the new Moses with the new Israel went on to the conquest of the heathen in the wilderness, to the full establishment of the new theocracy, to the entering of the promised land, and to the saints of the Most High taking the kingdom. Accordingly, by the new Moses a tabernacle was set up, and a priesthood in imitation of the divine original in the Scriptures was established. And still in imitation of that divine original in the Scriptures, Sunday was by Iaw made the sign of this new and false theocracy, as the Sabbath was and is the sign of the original, the true, and the divine Theocracy. And this was done the with this direct intent; for we have it so stated in the words of Bishop Eusebius himself, who was one of the chief ones in the doing of it. Here are his words: SLOC 9.1

“All things whatsoever it was duty to do on the Sunday these WE have transferred to the Sunday.” SLOC 10.1

That the scheme and system of things thus established was in their thought the very kingdom of God on earth, is also plainly and positively stated by Bishop Eusebius thus: “Invested as he is with a semblance of heavenly sovereignty, he [Constantine] directs his gaze above and FRAMES HIS EARTHLY GOVERNMENT according to THE PATTERN of that DIVINE ORIGINAL, feeling strength in ITS CONFORMITY TO THE MONARCHY OF GOD.” “And by the appointment of the Cesars fulfills the predictions of the prophets, according to what they uttered ages before: ‘And the saints of the most High SHALL TAKE THE KINGDOM.’”—“Oration,” Chap. III. SLOC 10.2

And Sunday observance established and enforced by imitation, as the sign of the new and false theocracy, in the place and in imitation of the Sabbath as the sign of the original and true making all the people “fit subjects” of this new and false “kingdom of God.” Here are the words, still by Bishop Eusebius: SLOC 10.3

“Our Emperor, ever beloved by Him, derives the source of imperial authority from above.” “That Preserver of the universe orders these heavens and earth and the celestial kingdom, consistently with His Father’s will. Even so our emperor, whom He loves, by bringing those whom he rules on earth to the only begotten Word and SAVIOR, RENDERS THEM FIT SUBJECTS OF HIS KINGDOM.”—Id., Chap. II. SLOC 11.1

These evidences demonstrate that the inspiration and initiation of the original Sunday legislation was exclusively and specifically ecclesiastical; and this all to the promotion of a grand and subtle scheme of the bishops for the erection of “a sacerdotal State” that should “subordinate the secular to itself in a false and outward way”; and to make effective “their determination to make use of the power of the State for the furtherance of their aims.” SLOC 11.2

Therefore by the evidence on these two counts—I. “The Origin and Character”; 2. “The Inspiration and Initiation,” of the original Sunday legislation—that the said Sunday legislation is specifically religious and ecclesiastical, with every other thought and intent specifically excluded, stands proven to demonstration: to a demonstration because it is the unanimous testimony of all the evidence that can be brought in the case. SLOC 11.3