of it both by affixing some kind of Penalties Tac. An. iii. v tit cod de infirm paen coelib v. Baron an 57. n. 44 c. upon those who continued unmarried after such a Term of Years and rewards to those who in lawful Matrimony encreased the number of the People The Christians knew but two states that of Marriage or Continence They preferred the latter as knowing its Excellencies and they often found the means Tertul. ad uxor c. vi de Resur car c. 8. of Reconciling them both in one for there were many Married Persons who yet lived in Continence But all Christians in general abstained from the use of the Bed on the Feasts and Fasts of the Cypr. de sing Cle. Church as well as at other times when according to the Apostles Rule they were disposed more Freely to give Cor. vii themselves to Prayer Second Marriages were looked upon as a weakness insomuch as in some Churches they enjoined Hier. ad Salvin in fi the Persons so remarrying Penance But how highly soever they esteemed Continence they had an esteem for Marriage as being a great Sacrament They had honourable Thoughts of it considering it as an Emblem of that Union which is between Christ and his Church and that Blessing Pronounced by God upon Mankind at the first Creation which Orat. in Bened. Spons neither Original Sin nor the Deluge hath taken away that is of encreasing and multiplying They knew that the relation of Father and Mother was an high Clem. Alex. ii Paedag. c. x. and honourable Character as being the Images of God in a more peculiar manner and Co-operating with him in the Production of Men. 'T is certain by the Gospel that St. Peter was a Married Man and Tradition as St. Clemens Alexandrinus relates it tells the same of Clem. iii. strom the Apostle St. Philip that they had both of them Children and particularly of Euseb iii. Hist. 30. St. Philip 't is observed that he gave his Daughters in Marriage Among other Directions for the Education Const Ap. iv c. x. of Children this is one That they should to secure their Vertue timely dispose of them in Marriage and they who had Charity enough to take upon them the charge of breeding up Orphans were advised to Match them as soon as Ibid. c i. they came of Age and rather to their own Children than to Strangers a Proof how little the Christians of those days Ignat. Ep. ad Polycar regarded Worldly Interest in the matter of Marriage They advised with their Bishop about Marriages as indeed they did about all Affairs of greater Importance that so saith Ignatius they might be made according to God and not according to Concupiscence When the Parties were agreed the Marriage was publickly and solemnly performed in the Church and Tertul. ii ad ux in fi there Consecrated by the Benediction of the Pastor and Confirmed by the Oblation of the holy Sacrifice The Bridegroom gave his Hand to the Bride and the Bride received from her Husband a Ring engraved with the Sign of the Cross or at least having on it some Symbolical Figure representing some Christian Vertue as a Dove an Anchor or a Fish for of such Clem. Alex. iii. Paedag. c. xi Figures did the Christians make their Seals and among the Antients their Rings were also their Seals or Signets HITHERTO have we considered XII The Union of Christians Christians in their Private Capacities let us now take a view of them as United into a Body and making a Church The name of Ecclesia i. e. Church signifies no more than an Assembly and was taken in the Cities of Greece for a meeting of the People who commonly came together in the Theatre for the dispatch of Publick Affairs We have in the Acts of the Apostles an Example of this profane Acts xix 32 Ecclesia or Assembly in the City of Ephesus and therefore the Christians by way of distinction from these profane Ecclesias where called the Ecclesia or Church of God Origen in his Dispute against Celsus compares these two sorts of Assemblies together and lays it down as a thing certain and manifest that the less Zeal of the Christians who were but few in comparison of the rest did somuch excel other Men That the Christian Assemblies appeared in the World like Stars in the Firmament The Christians therefore of every City made up but one Body and this was one principal pretence of Persecuting them Their Assemblies were represented as Illegal Meetings not being Authorized by the Laws of the State Their Unity and Love passed fot a Crime and was Objected against them as a dangerous Confederacy And indeed all the Christians living in the same Place were well known to each other as it could not be otherwise considering how often they joined in Prayer and other exercises of Religion upon which occasions they met together almost every Day They all maintained a Friendly Correspondence among themselves often met and conferred together and even in indifferent matters conformed to one another Their Joys and their Griefs were in common If any one had received of God any particular Blessing they all shared the satisfaction If any one were under Pennance they all Interceeded on his behalf and begged that Mercy might be shewn him They lived together as kindred of the same Family calling one another by the Name of Father or Child Brother or Sister according to the difference of Age or Sex This Unity was maintained by that Authority which every Master of a Family had over those of his own House and by the Submission that all of them paid to the Priests and their Bishops a Duty so earnestly recommended to Christians in the Epistles of the holy Martyr St. Ignatius But above all the Bishops were most closely United among themselves They all knew one another at least by their Names and Characters and held a constant Epistolary Correspondence which was easy to be done at that time by reason of the vast extent of the Roman Empire Bardesan apud Euseb vi Praepar c. 8. which God in his Providence seems to have so ordered as it were on purpose for the Propagation of the Gospel But as the Church was extended far wider than the Empire reaching to all the Nations round about it that uniformity of Faith and Manners which was found among all the Christians was still the more wonderful considering the Diversity of Nations among whom they were scattered And herein appeared the Power of true Religion Correcting in all that embraced it all those Barbarous and unreasonable Euseb i. Praep. c. iv Customs in which they had been educated In short the universal Church was in reality but one Body all the Members whereof were United to each other not only by the same Faith but also by the same most Comprehensive Charity EVERY Particular Church met together XIII
He Prayed in Publick and he Prayed in Private in the Garden in the Mountains in the Wilderness removed out of the noise of the World where no mortal Eye could see him He lift up his Eyes and his Hands to Heaven he cast himself upon his bended Knees He prostrated his Body on the Earth testifying by all this his profound Veneration and Submission to his Heavenly Father He suffered himself to be tempted to animate us after his Example couragiously to resist the evil one He repelled every assault by Scripture instances to teach us among other things to be always Meditating upon these sacred Writings to have recourse to them upon all occasions and to regulate every Action according to their Directions After that he takes upon him his Character and makes his Publick Appearance in the World beginning from that time to lead a Life which is the Model after which Priests Bishops and all publick Persons ought to form theirs His principal employment was the Instruction of Mankind and the Conversion of Sinners Luk. 19. 10. He came as he himself declares to seek and to save that which was lost To that end by the Miraculous Cure of Diseases and his many other Works he drew the Eyes of all the World upon him thus at the same time convincing their Judgments by the Proof of his Power and gaining their Affections by instances of his Goodness For Miracles as they were necessary establish his Mission so were they of no less Efficacy to recommend his Doctrine And 't is in this that the holy Bishops of old tho' without the gift of Miracles knew how to imitate their Master they knew what weight their Works would add to their Doctrine and therefore by the largeness of their Alms the Protection of the Oppressed the Reconciliation of Differances and other such like good Services they did to Mankind endeavoured to recommend themselves to the World and gain Respect and Love to their Persons though even the Works themselves of Jesus Christ as to the manner of them are not altogether above our imitation for they may serve to teach us the Vertues of Simplicity Humility and Patience He did his Miracles without Affection without any thing of Ostentation or Vain-Glory and without so much as being entreated unless sometimes when he found it necessary either to exercise the Faith of those who wanted his help or to discover it and make it the more Exemplary to others He generally concealed his glorious Performances with as much care as others do their disgraces He seems to attribute them rather to the Faith of the Patients than to his own Power And this is given as the reason why he did so few of them at Nazareth because of their Mar. 6. 6. unbelief at which 't is said he himself marvelled He ascribed all to the Glory of his Father I can of mine own self do nothing Joh. 5. 30. saith he my Father that dwelleth in me it is Joh. 14. 10 he that doeth the works He must needs have had a wonderful Patience to endure that incredible multitude and the greatest part of them Diseased Poor and miserable Creatures that continually crouded after him and pressed with that violence to come within the reach of him that they even threw themselves upon him as appears when he healed the Woman who laboured under Mar. 5. 24. Mar. 3. 9. the Issue of Blood and when he bad his Disciples provide a small Ship to wait on him to save himself from the Throng When he was in any House all the City Mar. 1. 33. and 3. 20. crowded to the Doors as it were besieging him and not giving him time to eat so that he could not so much as enter into the Cities but by stealth and was fain to Mat. 1. 45. abide without in the desart places and yet even there the People in vast multitudes flocked after him as appears by the five thousand Men he fed in the Wilderness so that he was forced to retire to the Mountains for Prayer to spend whole Nights there and sleep only at broken intervals passing from place to place as appears by his sound sleep in the Ship when in the midst of a tempest at Sea Mat. 8. 24. His Life was far more painful now than it was when he lived by the Labours of his Hands for now it appears he had none of his former leisure by his permiting some Women to follow after him to Luke 8. 2 supply him with Necessaries and by his keeping some mony by him of which Joh. 12. 6. Joh. 13. 29 Judas had the charge which shews how little he valued his Money by the choice he made of its Keeper He is observed to have given Alms and yet at the same time he wanted himself so that he was forced upon working a Miracle to pay for himself and St. Peter the Tribute of the first born which was but half a Shekel that is of our Coin about fifteen Pence And indeed he always lived in great Poverty He saith himself That he had not Mat. 8. 20. where to lay his Head He had no habitation of his own nor so much as a place to lodge in but upon courtesy At his Death we do not find that he had any thing to leave behind him but only his Garments He saith that he came not to be Ministred unto but to Minister He Journied from Ma. 10. 45. place to place on Foot and when he made his entrance into Jerusalem riding upon an Ass it is plain that was an extraordinary Action He travelled in the heat of the Day When he met the Woman of Samaria t is said that was about the sixth Jo. 4. 6. Hour that is about Noon and that he rested himself by the Well being wearied with his Journy For though he was the Lord of Nature yet we do not find that ever he wrought a Miracle for his own private Benefit or to save himself any Labour 'T is once said that the Angels came and Mat. 4. 11. Ministred to him to shew the right he had to command them had he been pleased to have made use of it In this same instance of his meeting with the Woman of Samaria we see his wonderful Modesty for 't is said That his Disciples marvelled that he talked with a Jo. 4. 27. Woman And his very Enemies themselves had never the Face to invent any Calumny against him that could call his Chastity into Question Nor was this a forced Modesty There was nothing streined nor Affected in him who was the declared enemy of Hypocrisy and who was the very Truth it self His Conversation was simple easy Natural yet lively and Affecting He observed the Countenances of People as when 't is said that he beheld the Rich young Man and loved him Cherishing with a Compassionate look the very first beginnings of goodness in him how weak and Imperfect so ever they were He
is often observed to have Stretched forth his Hands and used other such like expressive Gestures Sometimes by his Looks and by his Words He discovered the Sentiments of Admiration Indignation Anger and of that uneasiness which the unbelief of Men put him to At other times again he Expressed the softest Affections of Tenderness and Indulgence as when he caused the little Children to be brought unto him laid his Mar. 9. 46. and 10. 14. Hands upon them Embraced them in his Arms and Recommended to his Disciples the Imitation of their Innocency and Humility As to his outward Appearance there was nothing singular or Extraordinary in it He conformed himself to the same way of Living with the other Jews appeared as a private Person and had no External Marks to Distinguish him from the Common People one of whom he makes himself by the name of the Son of Man for that 's the meaning of that Appellation He led a Life full of Hardship and very Laborious but without any singular Austerity He Fed as others did he abstained not from Wine nor made any Scruple of being seen at great Entertainments as at the Marriage in Cana and at St. Matthews's Feast Luk. 5. 29. And yet he so little regarded Eating that his Disciples once putting him in mind taking some Food when he had manifestly occasion enough for it his answer was I have other Meat to Eat that ye Jo. 4. 32. 34. know not of My Meat is to do the will of my Father Yet notwithstanding this mean and simple outward Appearance he maintained a Marvellous Dignity and kept himself far above Contempt His Deportment was always serious Grave and Composed Upon two Several occasions it is taken Notice of him that he Wept but not at all that he Laughed nay or ever so In Matt. Hom. 6. Mar. much as Smiled at least as St. Chrysostom observes He never asked any Man a Farthen choseing rather to Work a Miracle than be beholden to any Body for a piece of Mony to pay his Tribute with But when he sent his Disciples to seek an Ass to make his Entrance into Jerusalem and to take up for him an upper Room where he might keep the Passover he shews by his manner of Speaking that he well knew no Man could have denied him any thing he should have asked He proved his own saying by his Actions That it is more blessed to Give than to Receive Act 20. 35. since continually dispencing so many benefits to others he received so little from them All the World sought to him and ran after him and he sought to no Man but going from City to City Exhorted all Men every where to Repentance He was free of Access to all Persons that were any way Diseased and to all Sinners whom he found disposed for Conversion To these last sort he shewed himself so easy and Familar as even to Eat with them and Lodge in their Houses So that upon this occasion he suffered a certain Woman to kiss his Feet and Anoint Luk. 7. 38. them with Ointment a sort of Indulgence which might otherwise have seemed very opposite to that Poverty and Mortification he always Professed As he came into the World for the Instruction of all Mankind he was continually upon his Work of Teaching both in Publick and Private On the Sabbath Days he used according to the custom of Luk. 4. 16. the Jewish Doctors to Expound the Scriptures in their Synagogues and thence they gave him the Title of Master or Rabbi But he had a peculiar Air of Authority which sufficiently distinguished him from their Doctors He taught them Mat. 7. 29. as one having Authority saith the Evangelist and they wondered at the Gracious Luk. 4. 22. Words which proceeded out of his Mouth His discourse was plain and clear without any other Ornament than those lively and natural Figures which are never wanting to a man fully perswaded and affected within himself and which are therefore the most powerful to perswade and affect others He spake much in a little and sometimes answered Questions put to him more by his Actions than by his Words as when he saith to the Disciples of St. John the Baptist Go and shew John Mat. 11. 4. again those things which you do hear and see He lays down great Principles without shewing himself much concerned to demonstrate them or to draw any Consequences from them These Principles carry in themselves such a light of Truth that if any Man withstand them 't is because he is wilfully Blind And 't was to punish this Depravity of their Hearts that sometimes he spake to them in Parables and dark sayings If at any time he made use of Proofs and Arguments they were generally simple and natural taken from sensible Objects and Familiar Comparisons His Miracles and his Virtues were of all others the most Powerful Proofs and which he most insisted on as being adapted to all sorts of Capacities and therefore far more Convincing than all the Syllogisms of Philosophers The learned as Nicodemus and the unlearned as the Man that was born blind were equally affected with this way of Proof To this he often joins the Testimonies of the Law and the Prophets demonstrating that his Doctrine proceeded from the same Wisdom and his Miracles from the same Power and that the Old and New-Testament are both founded upon the same Divine Authority 'T is to this purpose he so often makes use of the writings of Joh. 2. 3. Joh. 9. 31. the Old-Testament either by express Quotations of the very Letter of it or by manifest Allusions to it 'T was in this Spirit of Submission to Divine Authority that he Nurtured up his Disciples afar different method from what the Philosophers took with theirs who under the pretence of seeking after the Truth encouraged nothing more in their Pupils than a Spirit of Disputation and Contention But Jesus Christ came not to seek the Truth but to discover it in such measure as he who had the full possession of all Truth or rather who was himself the very Truth it self should think fit To the intent that they might the more profit both by his discourses and by his Example he seldom suffered them to be long out of his Sight living in common with them and making of Tertul. de praesâ—r C. 22. all but one Family They accompanied him whether soever he went they eat and lodged together with him so that they had the opportunity of being continually taught by him and learning every Moment He inured them to the imitation of his Poverty sending them abroad with out furnishing them either with money or any other sorts of Provisions nay and when he kept them with him hunger sometimes forced them to take up with what they could meet with in the Fields as when they plucked the Ears of Corn on the Sabbath-Day He took great care to Instruct them Mat. 13. 11.