Sun-Worship the Oldest and Most Widely Diffused Form of Paganism--Gnostic Antinomianism or Lawlessness--Anti-Judaism, Mainly of Pagan Origin--Anti-Sabbathism and Sunday Observance Synchronous--Anti-Lawism and Anti-Sabbathism Unscriptural--Christ’s Teachings Concerning the Law of God; Paul’s Teachings on the Same--Destructive Effect of Pagan Lawlessness on Christianity. CHAPTER VIII. SUNDAY OBSERVANCE UNKNOWN TO CHRISTIANITY BEFORE THE MIDDLE OF THE SECOND CENTURY 171 Mistaken Notions Concerning the Beginning of Sunday Observance--No Sunday Observance in the New Testament--Sunday Directly Referred to but Three Times--It is Never Spoken of as a Sabbath, nor as Commemorative of Christ’s Resurrection--The Bible does Not State that Christ Rose on Sunday--Christ and His Disciples Always Observed the Sabbath--The Change of the Sabbath Unknown in the New Testament--The Sabbath Never Called “Jewish” in the Scriptures, nor by Any Writer until after Paganism had Invaded the Church--Origin of Sunday Observance Found in Paganism--First Reference to Sunday Observance about 150 A.D.--No Writer of the Early Centuries Claimed Scriptural Reasons for Its Observance--Pagan Reasons and Arguments Adduced in Its Support; a Day of “Indulgence to the Flesh”--Pretended Scriptural Reasons, _ex post facto_. CHAPTER IX. STATE RELIGION A PAGAN INSTITUTION 188 Christ’s Attitude toward the State--The Roman Conception of Religion as a Department of the State--Roman Civil Law Created and Regulated All Religious Duties--Effect of the Pagan Doctrine of Religious Syncretism on Christianity--The Emperor a Demi-God, Entitled to Worship, and, _ex officio_, the Supreme Authority in Religion--The Deep Corruption of Roman Morals and Social Life under Pagan State Religion. CHAPTER X. THE CONTROL OF CHRISTIANITY BY THE STATE UNDER CONSTANTINE AND HIS SUCCESSORS 203 A New Epoch in the Paganizing of Christianity--Paganism Seeking a New God, Strong Enough to Save the Empire--Constantine Not a “Christian Emperor,” but Superstitious, Time-Serving, and Ambitious--Murdering His Kindred while Promoting Christianity as a Rising Political Influence--Seeking Christianity Mainly for Ambitious Ends--Professing Christianity Only on his Death-Bed--Making the Most of Both Worlds--Constantine Corrupted and Perverted Christianity More than He Aided It. CHAPTER XI. CONSTANTINE’S LEGISLATION CONCERNING THE PAGAN SUNDAY 217