opinion has not wanted its Patrons and defenders Turrianus Bovius c. but herein deserted by the more modest and moderate of their own party besides that their Apostolicalness in this sense is by the learned Daillé everlastingly shattered and broken But then he sets them at too wide a distance assigning them to the latter end of the fifth Century when 't is as clear as the Sun that they were extant and in credit with many before the times of Epihanius though somewhat altered now from what they were in his time compiled probably out of many lesser 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Books containing the Doctrines and Rites that had been delivered and practised by ancient and Apostolical persons or at least vented under their names but whether as some conjecture composed by Clemens Alexandrinus and thence by an easie mistake ascribed to Clemens Romanus I am not at leisure to consider In this Class of Writers I may reckon Dionysius the Areopagite absurdly enough asserted by many to be genuine by Daillé thrust down to the beginning of the sixth Century but most probably thought to have been written about the middle of the fourth Age as a person amongst us deservedly of great name and note has shewn in his late Vindication of Ignatius Epistles These are the principal of those Authors who could not be fix'd upon any certain year the rest have in the Index their particular and respective times To which I have added the account of the Editions for the more ready finding if occasion be of any passage quoted out of them One thing indeed there is which I cannot but take notice of it looks so like a piece of vanity and ostentation that the margent is charged with so many quotations but whoever considers the nature of my design will quickly see that it was absolutely necessary and that it concerned me not to deliver any thing without good authority the reason why I have where I could brought them in speaking their own words though to avoid as much of the charge as was possible I omitted the citing Authors in their own Languages and only set them down in English faithfully representing the Authors sense though not always tying my self to a strict and precise translation How pertinent my quotations are the Reader must judge I hope he will find them exact being immediately fetched from the fountain-head here being very few if any that have not been examined more than once For the method into which the Book is cast I chose that which to me seemed most apt and proper following S. Pauls distribution of Religion into piety towards God sobriety towards our selves and righteousness towards others and accordingly divided the discourse into three parts respecting those three great branches of Religion though the first is much larger than either of the other by reason of some preliminary Chapters containing a vindication of the Christians from those crimes that were charged upon them that so the rubbish being cleared and thrown out of the way we might have a fairer prospect of their Religion afterwards The Book I confess is swell'd into a greater bulk than I either thought of or desired but by reason of somewhat a confused Copy never design'd for the Press no certain measures could be taken of it And now if after all this it shall be enquired why these Papers are made publick as I can give no very good reason so I will not trouble my self to invent a bad one It may suffice to intimate that this discourse long since drawn up at leisure hours lay then by me when a tedious and uncomfortable distemper whereby I have been taken off from all publick Service and the prosecution of severer studies gave me too much opportunity to look over my Papers and this especially which peradventure otherwise had never seen the light Indeed I must confess I was somewhat the easilier prevailed with to let this discourse pass abroad that it might appear that when I could not do what I ought I was at least willing to do what I could If he that reads it shall reap any delight and satisfaction by it or be in any measure induced to imitate these primitive virtues I shall think my pains well bestowed if not I am not the first and probably shall not be the last that has written a Book to no purpose THE CONTENTS PART I. CHAP. I. Things charged upon the Primitive Christians respecting their Religion CHAP. II. Of the Novelty that was charged upon Christianity CHAP. III. Things charged upon the Christians respecting their outward condition CHAP. IV. The Charges brought against them respecting their life and manners CHAP. V. Of the positive parts of their Religion And first Of their piety towards God CHAP. VI. Of Churches and places of Publick Worship in the primitive times CHAP. VII Of the Lords-Day and the Fasts and Festivals of the ancient Church CHAP. VIII Of the persons constituting the body of the Church both people and Ministers CHAP. IX Of their usual Worship both private and publick CHAP. X. Of Baptism and the administration of it in the Primitive Church CHAP. XI Of the Lords Supper and the administration of it in the ancient Church PART II. The Religion of the Primitive Christians as to those virtues that respect themselves CHAP. I. Of their Humility CHAP. II. Of their Heavenly-mindedness and contempt of the World CHAP. III. Of their sobriety in respect of their Garb and Apparel CHAP. IV. Of their great Temperance and Abstinence CHAP. V. Of their singular Continence and Chastity CHAP. VI. Of their readiness and constancy in professing their Religion CHAP. VII Of their Patience and Exemplary Carriage under Sufferings PART III. Of their Religion as respecting other men CHAP. I. Of their Justice and Honesty CHAP. II. Of their admirable Love and Charity CHAP. III. Of their Vnity and Peaceableness CHAP. IV. Of their Obedience and Subjection to Civil Government CHAP. V. Of their Penance and the Discipline of the Ancient Church Primitive Christianity OR THE RELIGION OF THE Ancient Christians In the first Ages of the Gospel PART I. CHAP. I. Things charged upon the Primitive Christians respecting their Religion Christian Religion likely to meet with opposition at its first setting out Chiefly undermined by Calumnies and Reproaches Three things by the Heathens charged upon the Christians some things respecting their Religion some their outward condition others their moral carriage and the matters of their worship Their Religion charged with two things Impiety and Novelty The charge of Atheism considered and answered out of the Fathers The Heathens excepted against as incompetent judges of the affairs of Christianity In what sense Christians confessed themselves Atheists The wretched and absurd Deities that were amongst the Heathens and the impure manner of their worship Atheism properly such disowned and denied by Christians The account they gave of their Religion and the God whom they worshipped NO sooner did the Son
we are here we must worship God with respect to our present state and consequently of necessity have some definite and particular time to do it in Now that man might not be left to a floating uncertainty in a matter of so great importance in all Ages and Nations men have been guided by the very dictates of Nature to pitch upon some certain seasons wherein to assemble and meet together to perform the publick offices of Religion What and how many were the publick Festivals instituted and observed either amongst Jews or Gentiles I am not concerned to take notice of For the ancient Christians they ever had their peculiar seasons their solemn and stated times of meeting together to perform the common duties of Divine Worship of which because the Lords-Day challenges the precedency of all the rest we shall begin first with that And being unconcern'd in all the controversies which in the late times were raised about it I shall only note some instances of the piety of Christians in reference to this day which I have observed in passing through the Writers of those times For the name of this day of Publick Worship it is sometimes especially by Justin Martyr and Tertullian called Sunday because it hapned upon that day of the week which by the Heathens was dedicated to the Sun and therefore as being best known to them the Fathers commonly made use of it in their Apologies to the Heathen Governours This title continued after the world became Christian and seldom it is that it passes under any other name in the Imperial Edicts of the first Christian Emperours But the more proper and prevailing name was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Dies Dominica the Lords-day as 't is called by S. John himself as being that day of the Week whereon our Lord made his triumphant return from the dead this Justin Martyr assures us was the true original of the title upon Sunday says he we all assemble and meet together as being the first day wherein God parting the darkness from the rude chaos created the world and the same day whereon Jesus Christ our Saviour rose again from the dead for he was crucified the day before Saturday and the day after which is Sunday he appeared to his Apostles and Disciples by this means observing a kind of analogy and proportion with the Jewish Sabbath which had been instituted by God himself For as that day was kept as a commemoration of Gods Sabbath or resting from the work of Creation so was this set apart to religious uses as the solemn memorial of Christs resting from the work of our redemption in this world compleated upon the day of his resurrection Which brings into my mind that custom of theirs so universally common in those days that whereas at other times they kneeled at prayers on the Lords day they always prayed standing as is expresly affirmed both by Justin Martyr and Tertullian the reason of which we find in the Authour of the Questions and Answers in J. Martyr it is says he that by this means we may be put in mind both of our fall by sin our resurrection or restitution by the grace of Christ that for six days we pray upon our knees is in token of our fall by sin but that on the Lords day we do not bow the knee does symbolically represent our resurrection by which through the grace of Christ we are delivered from our sins and the powers of death this he there tells us was a custom deriv'd from the very times of the Apostles for which he cites Irenaeus in his Book concerning Easter And this custom was maintained with so much vigour that when some began to neglect it the great Council of Nice took notice of it and ordained that there should be a constant uniformity in this case and that on the Lords day and at such other times as were usual men should stand when they made their prayers to God So fit and reasonable did they think it to do all possible honour to that day on which Christ rose from the dead Therefore we may observe all along in the sacred story that after Christs resurrection the Apostles and primitive Christians did especially assemble upon the first day of the week and whatever they might do at other times yet there are many passages that intimate that the first day of the week was their more solemn time of meeting on this day it was that they were met together when our Saviour first appeared to them and so again the next week after on this day they were assembled when the Holy Ghost so visibly came down upon them when Peter preached that excellent Sermon converted and baptized three thousand souls Thus when S. Paul was taking his leave at Troas upon the first day of the week when the Disciples came together to break Bread i.e. as almost all agree to celebrate the holy Sacrament he preached to them sufficiently intimating that upon that day 't was their usual custom to meet in that manner and elsewhere giving directions to the Church of Corinth as he had done in the like case to other Churches concerning their contributions to the poor suffering Brethren he bids them lay it aside upon the first day of the week which seems plainly to respect their religious assemblies upon that day for then it was that every one according to his ability deposited something for the relief of the poor and the uses of the Church After the Apostles the Christians constantly observed this day meeting together for prayer expounding and hearing of the Scriptures celebration of the Sacraments and other publick duties of Religion Vpon the day called Sunday says J. Martyr all of us that live either in City or Country meet together in one place and what they then did he there describes of which afterwards This doubtless Pliny meant when giving Trajan an account of the Christians he tells him that they were wont to meet together to worship Christ stato die upon a set certain day by which he can be reasonably understood to design no other but the Lords day for though they probably met at other times yet he takes notice of this only either because the Christians whom he had examin'd had not told him of their meeting at other times or because this was their most publick and solemn convention and which in a manner swallowed up the rest By the violent persecutions of those times the Christians were forced to meet together before day so Pliny in the same place tells the Emperour that they assembled before day-light to sing their morning hymns to Christ Whence it is that Tertullian so often mentions their nocturnal convocations for putting the case that his Wife after his decease should marry with a Gentile-Husband amongst other inconveniencies he asks her whether she thought he would be willing to let her rise from his Bed to go to their night-meetings
his particular lot and portion comprehending the body of the people in general But afterwards this title was confin'd to narrower bounds and became appropriate to that Tribe which God had made choice of to stand before him to wait at his Altar and to minister in the services of his Worship And after the expiration of their Oeconomy was accordingly used to denote the ministry of the Gospel the persons peculiarly consecrated and devoted to the service of God in the Christian Church the Clergie being those qui divino cultui ministeria religionis impendunt as they are defin'd in a Law of the Emperour Constantine who are set apart for the ministeries of Religion in matters relating to the Divine Worship Now the whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 't is often called in the Apostles Canons the roll of the Clergie of the ancient Church taking it within the compass of its first four hundred years consisted of two sorts of persons the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were peculiarly consecrated to the more proper and immediate acts of the Worship of God and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as were set apart only for the more mean and common services of the Church Of the first sort were these three Bishops Presbyters and Deacons The first and principal Officer of the Church was the President or Bishop usually chosen out of the Presbyters I shall not here concern my self in the disputes whether Episcopacy as a superior order to Presbytery was of divine institution a controversie sufficiently ventilated in the late times it being enough to my purpose what is acknowledged both by Blondel and Salmasius the most learned defenders of Presbytery that Bishops were distinct from and superior to Presbyters in the second Century or the next Age to the Apostles The main work and office of a Bishop was to teach and instruct the people to administer the Sacraments to absolve Penitents to eject and excommunicate obstinate and incorrigible offenders to preside in the Assemblies of the Clergy to ordain inferiour Officers in the Church to call them to account and to suspend or deal with them according to the nature of the offence to urge the observance of Ecclesiastical Laws and to appoint and institute such indifferent Rites as were for the decent and orderly administration of his Church In short according to the notation of his name he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Watchman and Sentinal and therefore oblig'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diligently and carefully to inspect and observe to superintend and provide for those that were under his charge This Zonaras tells us was implied in the Bishops Throne being placed on high in the most eminent part of the Church to denote how much 't was his duty from thence to overlook and very diligently to observe the people that were under him These and many more were the unquestionable rights and duties of the Episcopal Office which because it was very difficult and troublesom for one man to discharge especially where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Diocess as we now call it was any thing large therefore upon the multiplying of Country Churches it was thought fit to take in a subordinate sort of Bishops called Chorepiscopi Country or as amongst us they have been called suffragan Bishops whose business it was to superintend and inspect the Churches in the Country that lay more remote from the City where the Episcopal See was and which the Bishop could not always inspect and oversee in his own person These were the Vicarii Episcoporum as they are called in Isidores Version of the thirteenth Canon both of the Ancyran and Neocaesarean Council the Bishops Deputies chosen out of the fittest and gravest persons In the Canon of the last mentioned Council they are said to be chosen in imitation of the seventy not the seventy Elders which Moses took in to bear part of the Government as some have glossed the words of that Canon but of the seventy Disciples whom our Lord made choice of to send up and down the Countries to preach the Gospel as both Zonaras and Balsamon understand it and thereupon by reason of their great care and pains are commanded to be esteemed very honourable Their authority was much greater than that of Presbyters and yet much inferior to the Bishop Bishops really they were though their power confin'd within narrow limits they were not allowed to ordain either Presbyters or Deacons unless peculiarly licens'd to it by the Bishop of the Diocess though they might ordain sub-Deacons Readers and any inferiour Officers under them They were to be assistant to the Bishop might be present at Synods and Councils to many whereof we find their subscriptions and had power to give Letters of peace i. e. such Letters whereby the Bishop of one Diocess was wont to recommend any of his Clergy to the Bishop of another that so a fair understanding and correspondence might be maintained between them a priviledge expresly denied to any Presbyter whatsoever But lest this wandring employment of the Chorepiscopi should reflect any dishonour upon the Episcopal Office there were certain Presbyters appointed in their room called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Visiters often mentioned in the ancient Canons and Acts of Councils who being tied to no certain place were to go up and down the Country to observe and correct what was amiss And these doubtless were those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spoken of in the thirteenth Canon of the Neocaesarean Council those rural Presbyters who are there forbid to consecrate the Eucharist in the City Church in the presence of the Bishop or the Presbyters of the City As Christianity encreased and overspread all parts and especially the Cities of the Empire it was found necessary yet farther to enlarge the Episcopal Office and as there was commonly a Bishop in every great City so in the Metropolis as the Romans called it the Mother City of every Province wherein they had Courts of Civil Judicature there was an Archbishop or a Metropolitan who had Ecclesiastical jurisdiction over all the Churches within that Province He was superior to all the Bishops within those limits to him it belonged either to ordain or to ratifie the elections and ordinations of all the Bishops within his Province insomuch that without his confirmation they were looked upon as null and void Once at least every year he was to summon the Bishops under him to a Synod to enquire into and direct the Ecclesiastical affairs within that Province to inspect the lives and manners the opinions and principles of his Bishops to admonish reprove and suspend them that were disorderly and irregular if any controversies or contentions happened between any of them he was to have the hearing and determination of them and indeed no matter of moment was done within the whole Province without first consulting him in the case Besides this Metropolitan there was many times another in the same
of God as the Book which they infinitely prized beyond all others upon which account Nazianzen very severely chides his dear friend Gregory Nyssen that having laid aside the holy Scriptures the most excellent Writings in the world which he was wont to read both privately to himself and publickly to the people he had given up himself to the study of foreign and prophane Authors desirous rather to be accounted an Orator than a Christian S. Austine tells us that after his conversion how meanly soever he had before thought of them the Scriptures were become the matter of his most pure and chaste delight in respect whereof all other Books even those of Cicero himself which once he had so much doted on became dry and unsavoury to him In the study of this Book it was that Christians then mainly exercised themselves as thinking they could never fully enough understand it or deeply enough imprint it upon their hearts and memories Of the younger Theodosius they tell us that rising early every morning he together with his Sisters interchangeably sung Psalms of praise to God the holy Scriptures he could exactly repeat in any part of them and was wont to discourse out of them with the Bishops that were at Court as readily as if he had been an old Bishop himself We read of Origen though then but a child that when his Father commanded him to commit some places of Scripture to memory he most willingly set himself to it and not content with the bare reading he began to enquire into the more profound and recondite meaning of it often asking his Father to his no less joy than admiration what the sense of this or that place of Scripture was and this thirst after divine knowledge still continued and encreased in him all his life S. Hierom reporting it out of a Letter of one that was his great companion and benefactor that he never went to meals without some part of Scripture read never to sleep till some about him had read them to him and that both by night and day no sooner had he done praying but he betook himself to reading and after reading returned again to prayer Valens Deacon of the Church of Jerusalem a venerable old man had so entirely given up himself to the study of the Scriptures that it was all one to him to read or to repeat whole pages together The like we find of John an Egyptian Confessor whom Eusebius saw and heard that though both his eyes were put out and his body mangled with unheard of cruelty yet he was able at any time to repeat any places or passages either out of the old or new Testament which when I first heard him do in the publick Congregation I supposed him say he to have been reading in a Book till coming near and finding how it was I was struck with great admiration at it Certainly Christians then had no mean esteem of took no small delight in these sacred Volumes for the sake of this Book which he had chosen to be the companion and counsellor of his life Nazianzen professes he had willingly undervalued and relinquished all other things this was the mine where they enriched themselves with divine treasures a Book where they furnished themselves with a true stock of knowledge as S. Hierom speaks of Nepotian that by daily reading and meditation he had made his soul a Library of Christ and he tells us of Blesilla a devout Widow that though she was so far over-run with weakness and sickness that her foot would scarce bear her body or her neck sustain the burden of her head yet she was never found without a Bible in her hand Nor did they covetously hoard up and reserve this excellent knowledge to themselves but freely communicated it to others especially were careful to catechise and instruct their Children and Servants in the principles of Religion S. Clemens praises the Corinthians that they took care to admonish their young men to follow those things that were modest and comely and accordingly exhorts them to instruct the younger in the knowledge of the fear of God to make their children partakers of the discipline of Christ to teach them how much humility and a chast love do prevail with God that the fear of him is good and useful and preserves all those who with pure thoughts lead a holy life according to his will The Historian observes of Constantine that his first and greatest care towards his Sons was to secure the happiness of their souls by sowing the seeds of piety in their minds which he did partly himself instructing them in the knowledge of divine things and partly by appointing such Tutors as were most approved for Religion and when he had taken them into a partnership of the Government and either by private admonitions or by Letters gave them counsels for the steering themselves this was always the first and chief that they should prefer the knowledge and worship of God the great King of the world before all other advantages yea before the Empire it self For this Nazianzen peculiarly commends his Mother that not only she her self was consecrated to God and brought up under a pious education but that she conveyed it down as a necessary inheritance to her Children and it seems her Daughter Gorgonia was so well seasoned with these holy principles that she religiously walked in the steps of so good a pattern and did not only reclaim her Husband but educated her Children and Nephews in the ways of Religion giving them an excellent example while she lived and leaving this as her last charge and request when she died This was the discipline under which Christians were brought up in those times Religion was instilled into them betimes which grew up and mixed it self with their ordinary labours and recreations insomuch that the most rude and illiterate persons instead of prophane wanton Songs which vitiate and corrupt the minds of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrysostom calls them Songs of the Devils composure used nothing but spiritual and divine Hymns so that as Hierom relates of the place where he lived you could not go into the field but you might hear the Plowman at his Hallelujahs the Mower at his Hymns and the Vine-Dresser singing Davids Psalms Thus they carried themselves at home what they did in publick in their Church-Assemblies on the Lords-day especially is next to be considered the manner whereof I shall briefly represent as it generally and for the most part obtained in those Ages for it could not but vary something according to time and place And here I should save my self the trouble of any further search by setting down the account which Justin Martyr and Tertullian give of their publick Worship in their Apologies for the Christians but that I am satisfied they did not design to give a perfect and
IMPRIMATUR Sam. Parker Reverendissimo in Christo Patri ac Domino Domino Gilberto Archiep. Cantuar. à sac dom Ex Aedibus Lambeth Septemb. 12. 1672. Primitive Christianity in 3 parts Learn of me Math. 11. 29. London Printed for R. Chiswell at the Rose Crown in St Pauls Churchyard Primitive Christianity OR THE RELIGION Of the Ancient Christians In the first Ages OF THE GOSPEL In Three Parts By WILLIAM CAVE D D. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. Paraenes ad Graec. p. 33. Nos non habitu Sapientiam sed mente praeferimus Non eloquimur magna sed vivimus Minuc Foel dial pag. 31. The Second Edition LONDON Printed by J. M. for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in S. Paul's Church-yard 1675. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER in GOD NATHANAEL Lord Bishop of OXFORD And Clerk of the Closet to his MAJESTY My Lord WHen I first designed that these Papers should take sanctuary at your Lordships Patronage the Hebrew Proverb presently came into my mind Keep close to a great man and men will reverence thee I knew no better way next to the innocency and if it may be usefulness of the subject I have undertaken to secure my self from the censures of envy and ill nature than by putting my self under your protection whose known 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sweetness and obligingness of whose temper is able to render malice it self candid and favourable Encouraged also by this consideration I hardned my self into the confidence of this Address which I had not otherwise attempted but that your Lordships kindness and generous compassion and the mighty condescention wherewith you were always pleased to treat me while I had the happiness of your Lordships neighbourhood did at once invite and oblige me to it I say no more lest I should affront that modesty that is so innate to your temper or come within the least suspicion of flattery so repugnant to my own One thing only there is which I cannot but remark the great honour which your Lordship has done not to the Episcopal only but to the whole ministerial order that a person of your Rank and Education would stoop to an employment so little valued and regarded in this unthankful and degenerate Age. And herein your Lordship has been a happy Precedent your example being already followed by some and will shortly by more persons of Noble Descent and Pedigree a thing for which the Church of England was never more renowned since the Reformation than it is at this day My Lord There was a time within the compass of our memmory when the Bishops amongst other things were accused by one of the House of Peers though one that had not the most reason to bring in a charge of that nature to be in respect of their Parentage de faece populi of the very dregs and refuse of the people malice will play at small games rather than not at all A charge as false as it was spiteful though had it been true it had been impertinent seeing the very order is enough to derive honour upon the person even when he cannot as your Lordship bring it along with him And indeed so honourable an Order has Episcopacy ever been accounted even when there have been no visible advantages either of riches or grandeur to attend it as there were not in the more early Ages of Christianity that persons of the greatest Birth and Fortunes have not thought it below them to exchange the Civil Tribunal for the Bishops Throne and to lay down the publick Rods and Axes to take up the Crosier and the Pedum Pastorale If we may credit that Catalogue of the Bishops of Constantinople recorded by Nicephorus we find Dometius Brother to the Emperour Probus and after him his two Sons Probus and Metrophanes successively sitting in that Chair As afterwards Nectarius S. Chrysostoms Predecessor was of a Senator made Bishop of that See Thalassius became Bishop of Caesarea when he was a Senator the Praefectus Praetorio or the Emperours Lieutenant one of the highest places both of trust and honour in the Roman Empire of Illyricum and rising to greater dignities being designed by the Emperour for the Government of the East S. Ambrose whose Father was an illustrious person the Praefect of France was made Governour of Liguria and Aemilia and sent thither with Consular power and dignity during which employment he was made Bishop of Milain Petronius Bishop of Bononia is said to have been first a Praefectus Praetorio and to descend of the Family of Constantine the Great Sidonius Apollinaris descended for many Generations of noble and illustrious Parents his Father the Praefectus Praetorio of Gaul himself Son-in-Law to Avitus a person of extraordinary honour and employment and afterwards Consul and Emperour and yet in the midst of this disdained not to become Bishop of Clermont in France More such instances I could give not to speak of multitudes that were in the middle and later Ages of the Church especially in our own Nation But I return My Lord I beheld Religion generally laid waste and Christianity ready to draw its last breath stifled and oppressed with the vices and impieties of a debauched and profligate Age. To contribute towards the recovery whereof and the reducing things if possible to the ancient Standard is the design of the Book that is here offered to you The subject I assure my self is not unsuitable either to your Lordships Order temper or course of life if my ill managery of it has not rendred it unworthy of your Patronage However such as it is it 's humbly presented by him who is Your Lordships faithfully devoted Servant WILLIAM CAVE THE PREFACE TO THE READER I Know not whether it may be any satisfaction to the curiosity of the Reader to understand the birth and original of these Papers if it be let him take this account No sooner did I arrive at years capable of discerning but I began to enquire into the grounds of that Religion into which I had been baptized which I soon found to be so noble and excellent in all its laws so just and rational in all its designs so divine and heavenly so perfective of the Principles so conducive to the happiness of humane nature a Religion so worthy of God so advantageous to man built upon such firm and uncontroulable evidence back'd with such proper and powerful arguments that I was presently convinc'd of the Divinity that resided in it and concluded with my self and I thought I had reason so to do that surely the Disciples of this Religion must needs be the most excellent persons in the world But alas a few years experience of the world let me see that this was the conclusion of one that had convers'd only with Books and the reasonings of his own mind I had not been long an observer of the manners of men but I found them generally so debauched and vitious so corrupt and contrary
of God appear in the world to establish the most excellent Religion that ever was communicated to Mankind but he met with the most fierce and vigorous opposition persecuted and devoted to death assoon as he was born followed all his life with fresh assaults of malice and cruelty his credit traduced and slandered his Doctrine despised and slighted and himself at last put to death with the most exquisite arts of torture disgrace And if they thus served the Master of the house how much more them of the houshold the disciple not being above his Master nor the servant above his Lord. Therefore when he gave commission to his Apostles to publish this Religion to the world he told them beforehand what hard and unkind reception they must look to meet with that he sent them forth as Sheep in the midst of Wolves that they should be delivered up to the Councils and scourged in the Synagogues and be brought before Kings and Governours and be hated of all men for his names sake nay so high should the quarrel arise upon the account of Religion that men should violate some of the nearest Laws of Nature betray their friends and kinsfolk the Brother delivering up the Brother to death and the Father the Child the Children rising up against their Parents and causing them to be put to death This he well foresaw and the event truly answered it would be the fate of its first appearing in the world and indeed considering the present state and circumstances of the world at that time it could not reasonably be expected that the Christian Religion should meet with a better entertainment for the genius and nature of its Doctrine was such as was almost impossible to escape the frowns and displeasure of men a Doctrine it was that call'd men off from lusts and pleasures and offered violence to their native inclinations that required the greatest strictness and severity of life obliged men to deny themselves to take up their Cross and to follow the steps of a poor crucified Saviour and that upon little other encouragement at present than the invisible rewards of another world It introduced new Rites and Ceremonies unknown to those of former Ages and such as did undermine the received and established principles of that Religion that for so many Generations had governed the world it revealed and brought to light such truths as were not only contrary to the principles of mens education but many of them above the reach of natural comprehension too deep for the line of humane reason to fathom or find out Upon these and such like accounts Christianity was sure to encounter with mighty prejudices and potent opposition and to it did for no sooner did it peep abroad in the world but it was every where spoken against Princes and Potentates and the greatest powers and policies of the world did for some Ages confederate and combine together to extirpate and banish it out of the world and certainly if Arms and Armies if strength and subtilty if malice and cruelty could have stifled it it had been smothered in its infancy and first delivery into the world But notwithstanding all these oppositions it still lifted up his head in triumph and outbrav'd the fiercest storms of persecution and as Tertullian told their Enemies by every exquisite act of cruelty they did but tempt others to come over to the party the oftner they were mowed down the faster they sprang up again the blood of Christians making the Churches soil more fat and fertile Hereupon the great enemy of mankind betook himself to other counsels and sought to undermine what he saw he could not carry by open assault and battery he studied to leaven the minds of men with false and unjust prejudices against Christianity and to burden it with whole loads of reproaches and defamations knowing no speedier way to hinder its reception than to blast its reputation For this purpose all the arts of spite and malice were mustred up and Christians confidently charged with all those crimes that could render them and their Religion vile and infamous Now the things that were charged upon the Christians were either such as respected their Religion or such as concern'd their outward state and condition or such as related to their moral carriage and behaviour with some things relating to the matter or manner of their Worship we shall consider them in order and how the Christians of those times vindicated themselves from these imputations The Christian Religion at its first coming abroad into the world was mainly charged with these two things Impiety and Novelty For the first 't was commonly cryed out against as a grand piece of Atheism and Impiety as an affront to their Religion and an undermining the very being and existence of their gods this is the sum of the charge as we find it in the ancient Apologists more particularly Caecilius the Heathen in Minucius Felix accuses the Christians for a desperate undone and unlawful faction who by way of contempt did snuff and spit at the mention of their gods deride their worship sooff at their Priests and despise their Temples as no better than Charnel-houses and heaps of bones and ashes of the dead for these and such like reasons the Christians were every where accounted a pack of Atheists and their Religion the Atheism and seldom it is that Julian the Emperor calls Christianity by any other name Thus Lucian bringing in Alexander the Impostor setting up for an Oracle-monger ranks the Christians with Atheists and Epicureans as those that were especially to be banished from his mysterious Rites In answer to this charge the Christians pleaded especially these three things First that the Gentiles were for the most part incompetent Judges of such cases as these as being almost wholly ignorant of the true state of the Christian Doctrine and therefore unfit to pronounce sentence against it Thus when Crescens the Philosopher had traduced the Christians as atheistical and irreligious Justin Martyr answers that he talked about things which he did not understand feigning things of his own head only to comply with the humour of his seduc'd disciples and followers that in reproaching the Doctrine of Christ when he did not understand it he discovered a most wicked and malignant temper and shewed himself far worse than the most simple and unlearned who are not wont rashly to bear witness and determine in things not sufficiently known to them Or if he did understand its greatness and excellency then he shewed himself much more base and dis-ingenuous in charging upon it what he knew to be false and concealing his inward sentiments and convictions for fear lest he should be suspected to be a Christian But Justin well knew that he was miserably unskilful in matters of Christianity having formerly had conferences and disputations with him about these things and therefore offer'd the Senate of Rome to whom he then presented his
first coming into the world for all men as they have a natural reverence for Religion so they have a great veneration for Antiquity the Customs and Traditions of their Fathers which they entertain as a most inestimable depositum and for which they look upon themselves as obliged to contend as for that which is most solemn and sacred What more excellent and venerable says the Heathen in Minucius Faelix than to entertain the discipline of our Forefathers to solemnize that Religion that has been delivered to us to worship those Gods the knowledge of whom has been infus'd into us by our Parents not boldly to determine concerning the Deities but to believe those who have been before us To the same purpose Lactantius speaking of the Heathens they go on says he most pertinaciously to maintain and defend the Religion derived down to them from their Ancestors not so much considering what they are as concluding them to be right and good because the Ancients conveyed them to them nay so great the power and authority of antiquity that it 's accounted a kind of impiety to question it or enquire into it Upon these accounts the Gentiles bore so hard upon Christianity beholding it as a Mushroom-Sect sprung up of a sudden and as an incroaching Inmate undermining the established Religions of the world Now we find two pleas especially which the Christians made to this Indictment First That the charge was not wholly and universally true for besides that many principles of Christianity were the same with those of the Law of Nature the Christian Religion was for substance the same with that of the ancient Jewes whose Religion claim'd the precedenncy of all others in the word That the Religion was in substance and effect the same is expresly asserted and proved by Eusebius the ancient Patriarchs were the Christians of the old world who had the same Faith Religion and Worship common with us nay the same name too as he endeavours to prove from that touch not mine anointed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Christs or Christians and how far superiour in age they were to any thing that 's recorded of the most ancient Gentiles to their oldest Writers Orpheus Homer Hesiord nay to their very gods themselves is sufficiently made good by many of the ancient Fathers there being at the easiest computation between Moses and Homer above 600 years nay Cadmus the first inventer of Letters among the Graecians was some Ages junior unto Moses Therefore Origen tells Celsus that Moses and the Prophets were not only more ancient than Plato but than Homer himself yea than the very invention of Letters amongst the Graecians who yet were as proud of their antiquity as any other Nation in the World Nay whatever useful and excellent notions the great Masters of Religion amongst the Heathens had amongst them 't is plain they borrowed or more truly stole them from the Writings of the Ancients Jews as is abundantly demonstrated by Eusebius at large as before him it had been done by Clemens of Alexandria and by Tertullian before them both who shews that all their Poets and Philosophers had drunk deep of the Fountain of the Prophets and had forced their best Doctrines and Opinions from thence though subtilly altering and disguising them to make them look more like their own so that upon this consideration the accusation was unjust and false and Christianity appears the oldest Religion in the world Secondly Admit the Christian Religion in a more limited and restrained sense to be of a far later standing than the Religion of the Gentiles yet they pleaded that 't was infinitely reasonable that they should change for the better whenever it offered it self to them that novel truth was better than ancient errour and that they ought not to be eternally bound up in old inveterate Customs and Principles when those which were abundantly more reasonable and satisfactory were presented to them You tell us says Clemens Alex. that you may not subvert the Customs received from your Ancestors but if so why then are we not content without any other food than our Mothers milk to which we were accustomed when we first came into the world why do we encrease or impair our estates and not rather keep them at the same pitch just as we received them from our Fathers why have we left off those toys and sports to which we were wonted while Infants and Children but only because years and discretion although we had no other Tutor would make us quit those childish and trifling vanities That old age says S. Ambrose has true cause to blush that is asham'd to reform 't is not multitude of years but the goodness of manners that makes gray hairs worthy of praise and honour no age is too late to learn nor is it shame to grow better What wilt thou do says Lactantius to the Heathen wilt thou follow Reason or thy Ancestors If Reason then thou must needs relinquish the authority and institutions of thy Forefathers because that way only can be right that is warranted and prescribed by Reason but if piety towards thine Ancestors sway with thee to follow them thou must confess both that they were Fools in devoting themselves to a Religion contrary to Reason and that thou thy self art unwise and simple in worshipping what thou art convinced to be false besides that they had little reason to boast of those goodly Ancestors to whom they adhered so close and upon whose authority they did so much depend as he goes on to demonstrate in the remaining part of that Chapter That you object to us the novelty of our Religion so Arnobius may we not charge some such fault upon the first and most ancient Ages of the world who at first liv'd in a very poor and mean state but by little and little chang'd it into a more liberal and splendid course of life was it any crime that they changed their beasts skins into more comely and ◠convenient Garments or that they were no longer fond of their thatcht Cottages or chose to dwell like wild beasts in Rocks and Caverns when they had learnt to build better habitations 't is natural to all mankind to prefer better before what is worse profitable before what is useless and to seek after what we are assur'd is more grateful and excellent therefore when you charge us with Apostasie from the Religion of the Ancients you should rather consider the cause than the action and not so much upbraid us with what we have left as examine what it is we have entertain'd For if meerly to change our opinion and to pass from ancient Institutions to what 's more late and new be a fault and crime then none so guilty of the charge as your selves who have so oft changed your manners and course of life and by embracing new Rites and Customs have condemned those that went before
which he there makes good by particular instances and the same answer St. Ambrose gives to Symmachus if nothing but ancient Rites will please you how comes it to pass that there has been a succession of new and foreign Rites even in Rome it self of which he gives him many particular examples In short Arnobius wittily argues thus Our way of Religion you say is new and yours ancient and what does this either hurt our cause or help yours If ours be new 't will in time become old is yours old there was a time when it was new the goodness and authority of Religion is not to be valued by length of time but by the excellency of its worship nor does it become us to consider so much when it begun as what it is we Worship It may not be impertinent in this place to take notice of what the Heathens objected as a branch of this charge that if God's sending Christ into the world was so great a blessing why did this Saviour of mankind come no sooner to reveal this Religion to lead men into the truth to tell the world who this true God was and to reduce us to the adoration of him if so why did God suffer him to stay so long and to be born as 't were but a few hours before in comparison of the preceding Ages of the world To this Arnobius answers with a great deal of modesty and reason that he could not tell that 't were easie to retort the same captious question upon them if 't were so much to the benefit of the world that Hercules Aesculapius Mercury c. should be gods why were they born and deified no sooner that not only posterity but antiquity might have reap'd advantage by them If there was reason in one case then there was also in the other but to assign proper and particular reasons was not possible it not being within the power of such a short-sighted Creature as man is to fathom the depth of the Divine Councils or to discover by what ways or methods he disposes his affairs these things being known only to him who is the grand Parent the Soveraign Lord and Governour of all things that although we are not able to assign the cause why a thing comes to pass in this or that particular manner yet this concludes never a whit the more that the thing is not so or that it is less credible when it has otherwise the most clear and unquestionable evidence and demonstration More particularly he answers that our Saviour cannot be said to have been lately sent in respect of God because in respect of eternity there is nothing late where there is neither beginning nor end there can be nothing too soon nothing too late Time indeed is transacted by parts and terms but these have no place in a perpetual and uninterrupted series of eternal Ages what if that state of things to which he came to bring relief required that season of time to come in what if the condition of ancient and modern times were in this case not alike or call'd for somewhat different methods of cure it may be the great God then chose to send Christ when the state of mankind was more broken and shatter'd and humane nature become more weak and unable to help it self this we are sure of that if what so lately came to pass had been necessary to have been done some thousands of years ago the supream Creator would have done it or had it been necessary to have been done thousands of years hence nothing could have forc'd God to have anticipated the setled periods of time one moment for all his actions are managed by fix'd and eternal reasons and what he has once determined cannot be frustrated by any change or alteration And thus we see how easily and yet how satisfactorily the primitive Christians wip'd off that double imputation of impiety and novelty which the Gentiles had so undeservedly cast upon their Religion CHAP. III. Things charged upon the Christians respecting their outward condition The Christians look'd upon and despis'd by the Heathens as a company of rude and illiterate persons mechanicks silly women and children This Charge considered and largly answered by Origen Christianity provides for the truest and best knowledge it excludes none learned or unlearned Christians not shy of communicating the knowledge of their mysteries to men sober and inquisitive The efficacy of Christianity in prevailing upon men of the acutest parts and greatest learning The Christians accused for being poor and mean This charge universally false Christianity entertain'd by persons of all sorts of the highest as well as the lowest rank Several instances of such Fl. Clemens and Fl. Domitilla Domitian's near kindred Christians another Domitilla Domitian's Neece Acil. Glabrio the Consul Apollonius the Senator and others Philip the Emperour proved to be no Christian the rise of the story whence Though Christianity had had no such persons under its profession this had been no just reasonable prejudice External pomp and grandeur not necessary to Religion The advantages Christians reaped from their meanness and contempt of the world Of their being charged as a people useless and unserviceable to the publick This disowned The opinion that it was not lawful for Christians to bear Arms or Offices particular only to some persons and in some cases and why How much the world was beholden to Christians for reclaiming men from vice and wickedness The Gospel greatly instrumental that way its general influence upon those whom it did not convert the Writings of Philosophers generally better after Christianity appeared and why The excellent Prayer of Simplicius Christians very useful by frequent working beneficial miracles curing diseases raising the dead dispossessing Devils c. This miraculous power continued for several Ages in the Church Christians further traduced as pernicious to the world as the cause of all publick evils and calamities This objected at every turn The occasion of S. Augustine's and Orosius his writing a vindication of it This Charge justly retorted upon the Heathens and they sent to seek the cause of publick calamities nearer home Some few hinted by Tertullian Christians unjustly charged with it because the world was pestered with such evils before Christianity appeared in it The publick State better and more prosperous since Christianity than before It s prosperity ebb'd or increas'd according to the entertainment Christianity found in the world THE second sort of arts which the Enemies of Christianity made use of to render Christians vile and despicable related to the circumstances of their external state and condition in the world where two things were laid to their charge that they generally were a very mean and inconsiderable sort of men and that they were an useless and unserviceable people nay pernicious and mischievous to the world They were looked upon as the lowest and meanest rank of men persons neither considerable for their parts and learning nor for
whole Religion is to live without spot or blemish from whence they might easily gather had they any understanding that piety is on our side and that they themselves are vile and impious And Eusebius tells us that in his time the Christian Faith had by gravity sincerity modesty and holiness of life so conquered all opposition that none durst bespatter it or charge it with any of those calumnies which the ancient Enemies of our Religion used to fasten upon it What Religion says Arnobius can be truer more useful powerful just than this which as he elsewhere notes renders men meek speakers of truth modest chaste charitable kind and helpful to all as if most nearly related to us and indeed this is the genuine and natural tendency of the Christian Doctrine and which it cannot but effect where-ever 't is kindly embraced and entertained So true is that which Athenagoras told the Emperours that no Christian could be a bad man unless he were an hypocrite and Tertullian openly declares that when men depart from the discipline of the Gospel they so far cease amongst us to be accounted Christians and therefore when the Heathens objected that some that went under that name were guilty of great enormities and enquired how comes such a one to be a cheat if the Christians be so righteous how so cruel if they be merciful he answers that by this very thing they bore witness that they who were real Christians were not such that there 's a vast difference between the crime and the name the opinion and the truth that they are not presently Christians that are called so but cheat others by the pretence of a name that they shunn'd the company of such and did not meet or partake with them in the offices of Religion that they did not admit those whom meer force and cruelty had driven to deny Christianity much less such as voluntarily transgressed the Christian Discipline and that therefore the Heathens did very ill to call them Christians whom the Christians themselves did disown who yet were not wont to deny their own party CHAP. V. Of the positive parts of their Religion and first of their piety towards God The Religion of the ancient Christians considered with respect to God themselves and other men Their piety seen in two things their detestation of Idolatry and great care about the matters of divine Worship What notion they had of Idolatry their abhorrency of it Their refusing to give divine honour to Angels and created Spirits this condemned by the Laodicean Council Their denying any thing of divine honour to Martyrs and departed Saints The famous instance of the Church of Smyrna concerning S. Polycarp S. Augustine's testimonies to this purpose Their mighty abhorrence of the Heathen Idolatry The very making an Idol accounted unlawful Hatred of Idolatry one of the first principles instilled into new Converts Their affectionate bewailing any that lapsed into this sin Several severe penalties imposed by the ancient Council of Illiberis upon persons guilty of Idolatry They were willing to hazard any thing rather than sacrifice to the Gods Constantius his plot to try the integrity of his Courtiers A double instance of the Christian Souldiers in Julian's Army Their active zeal in breaking the Images of the Heathen gods and assaulting persons while doing sacrifice to them this whether justifiable Notwithstanding all this the Christians accused by the Heathens of Idolatry of worshipping the Sun whence that charge arose Of adoring a Cross Of worshipping an Asses head Christians called Asinarii The absurd and monstrous Picture of Christ mentioned by Tertullian The occasion of this ridiculous fiction whence HAving thus seen with how much clearness the ancient Christians vindicated themselves from those unjust aspersions which their spightful and malicious adversaries had cast upon them we come now to take a more direct and positive view of their Religion which according to S. Pauls division we shall consider as to their piety towards God those virtues which more immediately concern'd themselves and those which respected their behaviour and carriage towards others Their piety towards God appeared in those two main instances of it a serious and hearty detestation of Idolatry and a religious care about the concerns of Divine Worship Idolatry in those times was the prevailing sin of the world the principal crime of mankind the great guilt of the Age and the almost sole cause of mens being brought into judgment as what in a manner contains all sins under it as Tertullian begins his Book upon that subject a crime of the first rank and one of the highest sorts of wickedness as 't is called by the most ancient Council in Spain They looked upon it as a sin that undermined the very being of the Deity and ravished the honour of his Crown Before we proceed any further we shall first enquire what was the notion they generally had of Idolatry and they then accounted that a man was guilty of Idolatry when he gave divine adoration to any thing that was not God not only when he worshipped a material Idol but when he vested any creature with that religious respect and veneration that was only due to God Idolatry says Tertullian robs God denying him those honours that are due to him and conferring them upon others so that at the same time it does both defraud him and reproach him and a little after he expresly affirms that whatever is exalted above the Standard of civil Worship in imitation of the divine excellency is directly made an Idol thus S. Gregory for his solid and excellent learning call'd the Divine a title never given to any besides him but to St. John the Apostle defines Idolatry which says he is the greatest evil in the world to be the translation of that worship that is due to the Creator upon the Creature Accordingly we find them infinitely zealous to assert divine adoration as the proper and incommunicable prerogative of God alone and absolutely refusing to impart religious Worship to any though the best of Creatures surely if any one would think Angels the first rank of created beings creatures of such sublime excellencies and perfections might have challenged it at their hands but hear what Origen says to this we adore says he our Lord God and serve him alone following the example of Christ who when tempted by the Devil to fall down and worship him answered thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve which is the reason why we refuse to give honours to those spirits that preside over humane affairs because we cannot serve two Masters to wit God and Mammon as for these Daemons we know that they have no administration of the conveniencies of mans life yea though we know that they are not Daemons but Angels that have the Government of fruits and seasons and the productions of Animals committed to them we indeed speak well
of them and think them happy that they are intrusted by God to manage the conveniencies of mans life but yet do not give them that honour that is only due to God for this neither does God allow of neither do they desire it but equally love and regard us when we do not as if we did sacrifice to them And when Celsus a little before had smartly pressed him to do honour to Daemons he rejects the motion with great contempt away says he with this counsel of Celsus who in this is not in the least to be hearkned to for the great God only is to be adored and prayers to be delivered up to none but his only begotten Son the first born of every creature that as our High-Priest he may carry them to his Father and to our Father to his God and to our God 'T is true that the Worship of Angels did and that very early as appears from the Apostles caveat against it in his Epistle to the Colossians creep into some parts of the Christian Church but was always disowned and cryed out against and at last publickly and solemnly condemned by the whole Laodicean Council it is not lawful says the thirty fifth Canon of that Council for Christians to leave the Church of God and to go and invocate Angels and to make prohibited assemblies if therefore any one shall be found devoting himself to this private Idolatry let him be accursed forasmuch as he has forsaken the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God and has delivered up himself to Idolatry From which nothing can be more clear than that it was the sense of these Fathers that the worshipping of Angels was not only down-right Idolatry but a plain apostasie from the Christian Faith Nor were they more peremptory in denying divine honour to Angels than they were to Martyrs and departed Saints for though they had a mighty honour and respect for Martyrs as we shall take notice afterwards as those that had maintained the truth of their Religion and seal'd it with their blood and therefore did what they could to do praise and honour to their memories yet were they far from placing any thing of Religion or divine adoration in it whereof 't will be enough to quote one famous instance The Church of Smyrna writing to the Churches of Pontus to give them an account of the martyrdom of Polycarpus their Bishop tells them that after he was dead many of the Christians were desirous to have gotten the remains of his body possibly to have given them decent and honourable burial but were prevented in it by some Jews who importun'd the Proconsul to the contrary suggesting that the Christians leaving their crucified Master might henceforth worship Polycarpus whereupon they add that this suggestion must needs proceed from ignorance of the true state of Christians this they did say they not considering how impossible 't is that ever we should either forsake Christ who died for the salvation of mankind or that we should worship any other We adore him as the Son of God but the Martyrs as the Disciples and Followes of our Lord we deservedly love for their eminent kindness to their own Prince and Master whose Companions and Fellow-Disciples we also by all means desire to be This instance is so much the more valuable in this case not only because so plain and pertinent but because so ancient and from persons of so great authority in the Church For this is not the testimony of any one private person but of the whole Church of Smyrna according as it had been trained up under the Doctrine and Discipline of Polycarpus the immediate Disciple of S. John This was the Doctrine and practice of Christians then and it held so for some Ages after even down to the times of S. Augustine when yet in many other things the simplicity of the Christian Religion began to decline apace we set apart says he no Temples nor Priests nor divine services nor sacrifices to Martyrs because they are not God but the same who is theirs is our God indeed we honour their memories as of holy men who have stood for the truth even unto death that so the true Religion might appear and those which are false be convinc'd to be so but who ever heard a Priest standing at the Altar built for the honour and worship of God over the body of the holy Martyr to say in his Prayers I offer sacrifice to thee Peter or Paul or Cyprian for in such commemorations we offer to that God who made them both men and Martyrs and has made them partners with holy Angels in the heavenly glory and by these solemnities we both give thanks to the true God for the victories which they have gain'd and also stir up our selves by begging his assistance to contend for such crowns and rewards as they are possessed of so that whatever offices religious men perform in the places of the Martyrs they are only ornaments to their memories not sacrifices or divine services done to the departed as if they were Deities More to the same purpose we may find in that place as also in infinite other places of his Works where were it worth the while I could easily shew that he does no less frequently than expresly assert that though the honour of love respect and imitation yet no religious adoration is due either to Angels Martyrs or departed Saints But the great instance wherein the primitive Christians manifested their detestation of Idolatry was in respect of the idolatrous Worship of the Heathen world the denying and abhorring any thing of divine honour that was done to their gods They looked upon the very making of Idols though with no intention to worship them as an unlawful trade and as inconsistent with Christianity how have we renounced the Devil and his Angels says Tertullian meaning their solemn renunciation in baptism if we make Idols nor is it enough to say though I make them I do not worship them there being the same cause not to make them that there is not to worship them viz. the offence that in both is done to God yet thou dost so far worship them as thou makest them that others may worship them and therefore he roundly pronounces that no Art no Profession no service whatsoever that is employed either in making or ministring to Idols can come short of Idolatry They startled at any thing that had but the least shadow of symbolizing with them in their Idolatry therefore the Ancyran Council condemned them to a two years supension from the Sacrament who sat down with their Heathen friends upon their solemn Festivals in their Idol-Temples although they brought their own Provisions along with them and touched not one bit of what had been offered to the Idol Their first care in instructing new Converts was to leaven them with the hatred of Idolatry those that are to be initiated into our Religion says Origen
those times did generally pray towards the East and the Sun-rising which the Heathens themselves also did though upon different grounds and partly because they performed the Solemnities of their Religion upon the day that was dedicated to the Sun which made the Gentiles suspect that they worshipped the Sun it self They were next charged with worshipping Crosses a charge directly false as for Crosses says Octavius we neither desire nor worship them 't is you who consecrate wooden gods that perhaps adore wooden Crosses as parts of them for what else are your Ensigns Banners and Colours with which you go out to war but golden and painted Crosses the very Trophies of your Victory do not only resemble the fashion of a simple Cross but of a man that 's fastned to it the very same answer which Tertullian also returns to this Charge The occasion of it no doubt was the Christians talking of and magnifying so much their crucified Master and their almost constant use of the sign of the Cross which as we shall see afterwards they made use of even in the most common actions of their lives but for paying any adoration to a material Cross was a thing to which those times were the greatest strangers otherwise understanding the Cross for him that hung upon it they were not ashamed with the great Apostle to glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ and to count it the matter of their highest joy and triumph But the absurdest part of the Charge was that they worshipped the head of an Ass I hear says the Heathen in Minucius Faelix that being seduced by I know not what fond perswasion they worship the consecrated head of an Ass one of the filthiest Creatures a Religion fitly calculated for persons of such a dull and stupid disposition Hence Tertullian tells us that Christians were called Asinarii Assworshippers and that Christ was painted and publickly exposed by the bold wicked hand of an apostate Jew with Asses ears one of his feet hoof'd holding a Book in his hand and having a Gown over him with this Inscription DEVS CHRISTIANORVM ONONYCHITES The Asse-hoof'd God of the Christians A most ridiculous representation and the issue of the most foolish spite and malice when I saw it says he I laughed both at the title and the fashion This Octavius tells his Adversary was the result and spawn of lying same begot and nourished by the Father of lyes for who says he can be so silly as to worship this or who can be so much more silly as to believe that it should be worshipped unless it be that you your selves do consecrate whole Asses in the Stable with your Goddess Epona and religiously adorn them in the Solemnities of Isis and both sacrifice and adore the heads of Rams and Oxen you make gods of a mixture of a Goat and a Man and dedicate them with the faces of Dogs and Lions More he has there to the same purpose as Tertullian also had answered the same thing before him The true ground of this ridiculous Charge as Tertullian observes was a fabulous report that had been a long time common amongst the Heathens that the Jews when wandring in the wilderness and almost ready to die of thirst were conducted by wild Asses to a Fountain of water for which great kindness they formed the shape of an Ass and ever after worshipped it with divine honours This is confidently reported both by Tacitus and Plutarch as it had been many years before by Appio the Alexandrian in his Books against the Jews and by this means the Heathens who did frequently confound the Jews and Christians came to form and fasten this Charge upon them when it was equally false in respect of both for as Tertullian observes the same Tacitus who reports this tells us in another place that when Pompey at the taking of Jerusalem presumptuously broke into the Holy of Holies whither none but the High-Priest might enter out of a curiosity to pry into the most hidden secrets and arcana's of their Religion he found no Image at all there whereas says Tertullian had they worshipped any such thing there had been no likelier place to have met with it and therefore brands him with the charge of the most lying Historian in the world And thus we see how the ancient Christians manifested and maintained their love and piety towards God by a most vigorous and hearty opposition of that Idolatry that reigned so uncontroulably in the Heathen world CHAP. VI. Of Churches and places of Publick Worship in the primitive times Place a circumstance necessary to every action The piety of Christians in founding places for the Solemnities of Religion They had distinct and separate places for their Publick Assemblies even in the Apostles times Prov'd out of the New Testament as also in the succeeding Ages from the testimonies of the Fathers and Heathen Writers The common objection of the Gentiles that Christians had no Temples considered and answered Churches encreased as Christianity met with favourable entertainment restored and repaired by Dioclesian Maximinus Constantine The fashion of theri Churches oblong built towards the East The form of their Churches described The Vestibulum or Porch the Narthex and what in it The Nave or body of the Church the Ambo or Reading-Pew the station of the faithful The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Chancel the Altarium or Lords Table The Bishops Throne and Seats of the Presbyters The Diaconicon what the Prothesis Christians then beautified their Churches Whether they had Altars in them Decent Tables for the celebration of the divine offices those frequently by the Fathers stiled Altars and in what sense They had no such gaudy Altars as the Heathens had in their Temples and the Papists now in their Churches Altars when begun to be fixed and made of Stone Made Asylum's and places of refuge and invested with many priviledges by Christian Emperours No Images in their Churches for above four hundred years prov'd out of the Fathers Pictures in Churches condemned by the Council of Illiberis An account of Epiphanius his tearing the Picture of Christ in the Church of Anablatha and the great force of the argumemt thence against Image-Worship Christian Churches when first formally consecrated the Encoenia of the ancient Church Our Wakes or Feasts in memory of the dedication of particular Churches What Incomes or Revenues they had in the first Ages Particular Churches had some standing Revenues even under the Heathen Emperours These much increased by the piety of Constantine and the first Christian Princes their Laws noted to that purpose The reverence shewed at their going in t Churches and during their stay there even by the Emperours themselves THE Primitive Christians were not more heartily zealous against the idolatrous Worship of the Heathen-gods than they were religiously observant of whatever concerned the honour and Worship of the true as to all the material parts
and circumstances of it as will easily appear if we consider what care they had about the place time persons and both the matter and manner of that Worship that they performed to God under each of which we shall take notice of what is most considerable and does most properly relate to it so far as the Records of those times give us an account of it Place is an inseparable circumstance of Religious Worship for every body by the natural necessity of its being requires some determinate place either for rest or motion now the Worship of God being in a great part an external action especially when performed by the joint concurrence of several persons does not only necessarily require a place but a place conveniently capacious of all that join together in the same publick actions of Religion This reason put all Nations even by the light of Nature upon erecting publick places for the honour of their gods and for their own conveniency in meeting together to pay their religious services and devotions But my present enquiry reaches no farther than the Primitive Christians not whether they met together for the discharge of their common duties which I suppose none can doubt of but whether they had Churches fixed and appropriate places for the joint performance of their publick offices And that they had even in those early times will I think be beyond all dispute if we take but a short survey of those first Ages of Christianity in the sacred Story we find some more than probable footsteps of some determinate places for their solemn conventions and peculiar only to that use Of this nature was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Vpper Room into which the Apostles and Disciples after their return from the ascension of our Saviour went up as into a place commonly known and separate to that use there by fasting and prayer to make choice of a new Apostle and this supposed by a very ancient tradition to have been the same room wherein our Saviour the night before his death celebrated the Passover with his Disciples and instituted the Lords Supper Such a one if not which I rather think the same was that one place wherein they were all assembled with one accord upon the day of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost visibly came down upon them and this the rather because the multitude and they too strangers of every Nation under heaven came so readily to the place upon the first rumour of so strange an accident which could hardly have been had it not been commonly known to be the place where the Christians used to meet together and this very learned men take to be the meaning of that Act. 2. 46. they continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as we render it from house to house but at home as 't is in the margin or in the house they ate their meat with gladness and singleness of heart i.e. when they had performed their daily devotions at the Temple at the accustomed hours of prayer they used to return home to this Vpper Room there to celebrate the holy Eucharist and then go to their ordinary meals this seems to be a clear and unforc'd interpretation and to me the more probable because it immediately follows upon their assembling together in that one place at the day of Pentecost which Room is also called by the same name of house at the second Verse of that Chapter and 't is no ways unlikely as M. Mede conjectures but that when the first Believers sold their Houses and Lands and laid the money at the Apostles feet to supply the necessities of the Church some of them might give their houses at least some eminent Room in them for the Church to meet and perform their sacred duties which also may be the reason why the Apostles writing to particular Christians speaks so often of the Church that was in their house which seems clearly to intimate not so much the particular persons of any private Family living together under the same band of Christian discipline as that in such or such a house and more especially in this or that room of it there was the constant and solemn convention of the Christians of that place for their joynt celebration of divine Worship And this will be farther cleared by that famous passage of S. Paul where taxing the Corinthians for their irreverence and abuse of the Lords Supper one greedily eating before another and some of them to great excess What says he have you not houses to eat and to drink in or despise ye the Church of God Where that by Church is not meant the Assembly meeting but the place in which they used to assemble is evident partly from what went before for their coming together in the Church verse 18. is expounded by their coming together into one place verse 20. plainly arguing that the Apostle meant not the persons but the place partly from the opposition which he makes between the Church and their own private houses if they must have such irregular Banquets they had houses of their own where 't was much fitter to do it and to have their ordinary repast than in that place which was set apart for the common exercises of Religion and therefore ought not to be dishonoured by such extravagant and intemperate feastings for which cause he enjoins them in the close of that Chapter that if any man hunger he should eat at home And that this place was always thus understood by the Fathers of old were no hard matter to make out as also by most learned men of later times of which it shall suffice to intimate two of our own men of great name and learning who have done it to great satisfaction Thus stood the case during the Apostles times for the Ages after them we find that the Christians had their fixed and definite places of Worship especially in the second Century as had we no other evidence might be made good from the testimony of the Authour of that Dialogue in Lucian if not Lucian himself of which I see no great cause to doubt who lived under the Reign of Trajan and who expresly mentions that House or Room wherein the Christians were wont to assemble together And Clemens in his famous Epistle to the Corinthians assures us that Christ did not only appoint the times when the persons by whom but the places where he would be solemnly served and worshipped And Justin Martyr expresly affirms that upon Sunday all Christians whether in Town or Country used to assemble together in one place which could hardly be done had not that place been fixed and setled the same we find afterwards in several places of Tertullian who speaks of their coming into the Church and the House of God which he elsewhere calls the House of our Dove i.e. our innocent and Dove-like Religion and
Epiphanius and then too met with no very welcome entertainment as may appear from Epiphanius his own Epistle translated by S. Hierom where the story in short is this Coming says he to Anablatha a Village in Palestine and going into a Church to pray I espied a Curtain hanging over the door whereon was painted the Image of Christ or of some Saint which when I looked upon and saw the Image of a man hanging up in the Church contrary to the authority of the Holy Scriptures I presently rent it and advis'd the Guardians of the Church rather to make usd of it as a Winding-sheet for some poor mans burying whereat when they were a little troubled and said 't was but just that since I had rent that Curtain I should change it and give them another I promis'd them I would and have now sent the best I could get and pray' entreat them to accept it and give command that for the time to come no such Curtains being contrary to our Religion may be hung up in the Church of Christ it more becoming your place solicitously to remove whatever is offensive to and unworthy of the Church of Christ and the people committed to your Charge This was written to John Bishop of Jerusalem in whose Diocess the thing had been done and the case is so much the more pressing and weighty by how the greater esteem and value Epiphanius then Bishop of Salamine in Cyprus for his great age and excellent learning had in the Church of God This instance is so home and pregnant that the Patrons of Image-Worship are at a mighty loss what to say to it and after all are forced to cry out against it as supposititious Bellarmine brings no less than nine arguments if such they may be called to make it seem probable but had he been ingenuous he might have given one reason more true and satisfactory than all the rest why that part of the Epistle should be thought forged and spurious viz. because it makes so much against them More might be produced to this purpose but by this I hope 't is clear enough that the honest Christians of those times as they thought it sufficient to pray to God without making their addresses to Saints and Angels so they accounted their Churches fine enough without Pictures and Images to adorn them Their Churches being built and beautified so far as consisted with the ability and simplicity of those days they sought to derive a greater value and esteem upon them by some peculiar consecration for the wisdom and piety of those times thought it not enough barely to devote them to the publick services of Religion unless they also set them apart with solemn Rites of a formal dedication This had been an ancient Custom both amongst Jews and Gentiles as old as Solomons Temple nay as Moses and the Tabernacle When 't was first taken up by Christians is not easie to determine only I do not remember to have met with the footsteps of any such thing in any approved Writer for the Decretal Epistles every one knows what their faith is till the Reign of Constantine in his time Christianity being become more prosperous and successful Churches were every where erected and repaired and no sooner were so but as Eusebius tells us they were solemnly consecrated and the dedications celebrated with great festivity and rejoycing an instance whereof he there gives of the famous Church of Tyre at the dedication whereof he himself made that excellent Oration inserted into the body of his History About the thirtieth year of his Reign he built a stately Church at Jerusalem over the Sepulchre of our Saviour which was dedicated with singular magnificence and veneration and for the greater honour by his imperial Letters he summoned the Bishops who from all parts of the East were then met in Council at Tyre to be present and assisting at the Solemnity The Rites and Ceremonies used at these dedications as we find in Eusebius were a great confluence of Bishops and Strangers from all parts the performance of divine offices singing of hymns and Psalms reading and expounding of the Scriptures Sermons and Orations receiving the holy Sacrament prayers and thanksgivings â—iberal Alms bestowed on the poor and great gifts given to the Church and in short mighty expressions of mutual love and kindness and universal rejoycing with one another What other particular Ceremonies were introduced afterwards concerns not me to enquire only let me note that under some of the Christian Emperours when Paganism lay gasping for life and their Temples were purged and converted into Christian Churches they were usually consecrated only by placing a Cross in them as the venerable Ensign of the Christian Religion as appears by the Law of Theodosius the younger to that purpose The memory of the dedication of that Church at Jerusalem was constantly continued and kept alive in that Church and once a year to wit on the 14. of September on which day it had been dedicated was solemnized with great pomp and much confluence of people from all parts the Solemnity usually lasting eight days together which doubtless gave birth to that custom of keeping anniversary days of commemoration of the dedication of Churches which from this time forwards we frequently meet with in the Histories of the Church and much prevailed in after Ages some shadow whereof still remains amongst us at this day in the Wakes observed in several Counties which in correspondence with the Encoenia of the ancient Church are annual Festivals kept in Country Villages in memory of the dedication of their particular Churches And because it was a custom in some Ages of the Church that no Church should be consecrated till it was endowed it may give us occasion to enquire what Revenues Churches had in those first Ages of Christianity 'T is more than probable that for a great while they had no other publick incomes than either what arose out of those common contributions which they made at their usual Assemblies every one giving or offering according to his ability or devotion which was put into a common stock or treasury or what proceeded from the offerings which they made out of the improvement of their Lands the Apostolick Canons providing that their First-fruits should be partly offered at the Church partly sent home to the Bishops and Presbyters the care of all which was committed to the President or Bishop of the Church for who says the Authour of the fore-cited Canons is fitter to be trusted with the riches and revenues of the Church than he who is intrusted with the precious souls of men and by him disposed of for the maintenance of the Clergie the relief of the poor or whatever necessities of the Church As Christianity encreased and times grew better they obtained more proper and fixed revenues houses and lands being setled upon them for such 't is certain they had even during the times
threefold apparition or manifestation commemorated upon that day which all hapned though not in the same year yet upon the same day of the year The first was the appearance of the Star which guided the wise men to Christ The second was the famous appearance at the baptism of Christ when all the persons in the holy Trinity did sensibly manifest themselves the Father in the voice from Heaven the Son in the River Jordan and the Holy Ghost in the visible shape of a Dove This was ever accounted a famous Festival and as S. Chrysostom tells us was properly called Epiphany because he came in a manner into the world incognito but at his baptism openly appeared to be the Son of God and was so declared before the world At this time it was that by his going into the River Jordan he did sanctifie water to the mystical washing away of sin as our Church expresses it in memory whereof Chrysostom tells us they used in this Solemnity at midnight to draw water which they looked upon as consecrated this day and carrying it home to lay it up where it would remain pure and uncorrupt for a whole year sometimes two or three years together the truth whereof must rest upon the credit of that good man The third manifestation commemorated at this time was that of Christs divinity which appeared in the first miracle that he wrought in turning water into Wine therefore 't was called Bethphania because it was done in the house at that famous Marriage in Cana of Galilee which our Saviour honoured with his own presence All these three appearances contributed to the Solemnity of this Festival But beside these there was another sort of Festivals in the primitive Church kept in commemoration of Martyrs for the understanding of which we are to know that in those sad and bloody times when the Christian Religion triumphed over persecution and gained upon the world by nothing more than the constant and resolute sufferings of its professors whom no threatnings or torments could baffle out of it the people generally had a vast reverence for those who suffered thus deep in the cause of Christianity and laid down their lives for the confirmation of it They looked upon Confessors and Martyrs as the great Champions of their Religion who resisted unto blood and dyed upon the spot to make good its ground and to maintain its honour and reputation and therefore thought it very reasonable to do all possible honour to their memories partly that others might be encouraged to the like patience and fortitude and partly that virtue even in this world might not lose its reward Hence they were wont once a year to meet at the Graves of Martyrs there solemnly to recite their sufferings and their triumphs to praise their virtues and to bless God for their pious examples for their holy lives and their happy deaths for their Palms and Crowns These anniversary Solemnities were called memoriae martyrum the memories of the Martyrs a title mentioned by Cyprian but certainly much older than his time and indeed when they were first taken up in the Church is I think not so exactly known the first that I remember to have met with is that of Polycarp whose martyrdom is placed by Eusebius anno 168. under the third Persecution concerning whose death and sufferings the Church of Smyrna of which he was Bishop giving an account to the Church of Philomelium and especially of the place where they had honourably entomb'd his bones they do profess that so far as the malice of their Enemies would permit them and they prayed God nothing might hinder it they would assemble in that place and celebrate the Birth-day of his Martyrdom with joy and gladness where we may especially observe that this Solemnity is stiled his Birth-day and indeed so the primitive Christians used to call the days of their death and passion quite contrary to the manner of the Gentiles who kept the Natalitials of their famous men looking upon these as the true days of their nativity wherein they were freed from this Valley of tears these regions of death and born again unto the joys and happiness of an endless life The same account Origen gives if that Book be his a very ancient Authour however we keep says he the memories of the Saints of our Ancestors and friends that dye in the faith both rejoycing in that rest which they have obtained and begging for our selves a pious consummation in the faith and we celebrate not the day of their nativity as being the inlet to sorrow and temptation but of their death as the period of their miseries and that which sets them beyond the reach of temptations And this we do both Clergie and People meeting together inviting the poor and needy and refreshing the Widows and the Orphans that so our Festival may be both in respect of them whom we commemorate the memorial of that happy rest which their departed souls do enjoy and in respect of us the odour of a sweet smell in the sight of God Under Constantine these days were commanded to be observed with great care and strictness enjoining all his Lieutenants and Governours of Provinces to see the memorials of the Martyrs duly honoured and so sacred were they accounted in those days that it was thought a piece of prophaneness to be absent from them therefore S. Basil thought he could not use a more solemn argument to perswade a certain Bishop to come over to him upon this occasion than to adjure him by the respect he bore to the memories of the Martyrs that if he would not do it for his yet he should for their sakes towards whom it was unfit he should shew the least disregard Hence it is that Libanius sometimes takes notice of the Christians under no other character than this Enemies to the gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that haunt and frequent Tombs and Sepulchers For the time of these assemblies it was commonly once a year viz. upon the day of their martyrdom for which end they took particular care to keep Registers of the days of the Martyrs passions So Cyprian expresly charges his Clergie to note down the days of their decease that there might be a commemoration of them amongst the memories of the Martyrs Theodoret tells us that in his time they did not thus assemble once or twice or five times in a year but kept frequent memorials oftentimes every day celebrating the memorials of Martyrs with hymns and praises unto God But I suppose he means it of days appointed to the memory of particular Martyrs which being then very numerous their memorials were distinctly fixed upon their proper days the Festival of S. Peter or S. Paul Thomas Sergius Marcellus c. as he there enumerates them For the places these Solemnities were kept at first at the Tombs where the Martyrs had been buried which usually were in the
Coemeteria or Church-yard distinct in those times from their places of Publick Worship and at a great distance from them as being commonly without the Cities Here their burying places where in large Cryptae or Grots under ground where they celebrated these memorials and whither they used to retire for their common devotions in times of great persecution when their Churches were destroyed or taken from them And therefore when Aemilian the Governour of Egypt under the Reign of Valerian would screw up the persecution against Christians he forbad their meetings and that they should not so much as assemble in the places which they called their Church-yards the same priviledge which Maximinus also had taken from them By reason of the darkness of these places and their frequent assembling there in the night to avoid the fury of their Enemies they were forced to use Lights and Lamps in their publick meetings but they who make this an argument to patronize their burning of Lamps and Wax-Candles in their Churches at Noon-day as 't is in all the great Churches of the Roman Communion talk at a strange rate of wild inconsequence I am sure S. Hierom when charged with it denied that they used any in the day time and never but at night when they rose up to their night-devotions He confesses indeed 't was otherwise in the Eastern Churches where when the Gospel was to be read they set up Lights as a token of their rejoycing for those happy and glad tidings that were contained in it light having been ever used as a symbol and representation of joy and gladness A custom probably not much elder than his time Afterwards when Christianity prevailed in the world the devotion of Christians erected Churches in those places the Temples of the Martyrs says Theodoret being spacious and beautiful richly and curiously adorned and shining with great lustre and brightness These Solemnities as the same Author informs us were kept not like the Heathen Festivals with luxury and obsceneness but with devotion and sobriety with divine Hymns and religious Sermons with fervent prayers to God mixed many times with sighs and tears Here they heard Sermons and Orations joined in publick prayers and praises received the holy Sacrament offered gifts and charities for the poor recited the names of the Martyrs then commemorated with their due elogies and commendations and their virtues propounded to the imitation of the hearers For which purpose they had their set Notaries who took the acts sayings and sufferings of Martyrs which were after compiled into particular Treatises and were recited in these annual meetings and this was the first original of Martyrologies in the Christian Church From this custom of offering up prayers praises and alms at those times it is that the Fathers speak so often of oblations and sacrifices at the Martyrs Festivals Tertullian often upon an anniversary day says he we make oblations for them that are departed in memory of their Natalitia or Birth days and to the same purpose elsewhere As oft says Cyprian as by an anniversary commemoration we celebrate the passion days of the Martyrs we always offer sacrifices for them and the same phrases oft occur in many others of the Fathers By which 't is evident they meant no more than their publick prayers and offering up praises to God for the piety and constancy and the excellent examples of their Martyrs their celebrating the Eucharist at these times as the commemoration of Christs Sacrifice their oblation of alms and charity for the poor every one of which truly may and often is stiled a sacrifice or oblation and are so understood by some of the more moderate even of the Romish Church and with good reason for that they did not make any real and formal sacrifices and oblations to Martyrs but only honour them as holy men and friends to God who for his and our Saviours honour and the truth of Religion chose to lay down their lives I find expresly affirmed by Theodoret. These Festivals being times of mirth and gladness were celebrated with great expressions of love and charity to the poor and mutual rejoycings with one another Here they had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Feasts every one bringing something to the common Banquet out of which the poor also had their share These Feasts at first were very sober and temperate and such as became the modesty and simplicity of Christians as we heard before out of Theodoret and is affirmed before him by Constantine in his Oration to the Saints But degenerating afterwards into excess and intemperance they were every where declaimed against by the Fathers till they were wholly laid aside Upon the account of these Feasts and for the better making provisions for them we may conceive it was that Markets came to be kept at these times and places for of such S. Basil speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Markets held at the memorials and Tombs of Martyrs these he condemns as highly unsuitable to those Solemnities which were only instituted for prayer and a commemoration of the virtues of good men for our incouragement and imitation and that they ought to remember the severity of our otherwise meek and humble Saviour who whipt the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple when by their marketings they had turned the house of prayer into a den of thieves And the truth is these anniversary commemorations though in their primitive institution they are highly reasonable and commendable yet through the folly and dotage of men they were after made to minister to great superstition and idolatry so plain is it that the best and usefullest things may be corrupted to bad purposes For hence sprung the doctrine and practice of prayer and invocation of Saints and their intercession with God the worshipping of Reliques Pilgrimages and visiting Churches and offering at the Shrines of such and such Saints and such like superstitious practices which in after Ages over-run so great a part of the Christian Church things utterly unknown to the simplicity of those purer and better times CHAP. VIII Of the persons constituting the body of the Church both people and Ministers The people distinguished into several ranks Catechumens of two sorts Gradually instructed in the principles of the Christian Faith Accounted only Christians at large The more recondite mysteries of Christianity concealed from persons till after baptism Three reasons assigned of it How long they remained in the state of Catechumens The several Classes of Penitents the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the faithful Their particular stations in the Church Their great reverence for the Lords Supper The Clergie why called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of two sorts the highest Bishops Presbyters and Deacons Bishops as superiour to Presbyters how ancient by the most learned opposers of Episcopacy Their office and priviledge what Chorepiscopi who Their power and priviledge above Presbyters
The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Visiters in every Diocess Of Metropolitans what their power and authority above ordinary Bishops their antiquity Of Patriarchs and in what respects superiour to Metropolitans and Archbishops An account of conforming the external jurisdiction of the Church to the Civil Government of the Roman Empire Presbyters their place and duty Whether they preached in the presence of the Bishop Deacons their Institution office number The Arch-Deacon Of inferiour orders The Subdeacon The Acolythus The Exorcist The Reader The Door-keeper What the nature of their several places Ordination to these Offices how managed The people present at and consenting to the Ordination Sacerdotes praedicarii what The Christian discipline in this case imitated by the Emperour Severus in appointing Civil Officers Great tryals and testimonials to be had of persons to be ordained Clergie-men to rise by degrees The age usually required in those that were to be promoted to the several orders Of Deaconesses their antiquity age and office The great honour and respect shewed to Bishops and Ministers Looked upon as common Parents Nothing of moment done without their leave Their welcome and the honour done them where-ever they came this made good by several instances Bishops invested with power to determine civil controversies The plentiful provision made for them The great priviledges and immunities granted by Constantine and his Successors to the Bishops and Clergie noted out of the Theodosian Code FRom the consideration of time and place we proceed to consider the Persons that constituted and made up their Religious Assemblies and they were either the body of the people or those who were peculiarly consecrated and set apart for the publick ministrations of Religion For the Body of the people we may observe that as Christianity at first generally gain'd admission in great Towns and Cities so all the Believers of that place usually assembled and met together the Christians also of the Neighbour-Villages resorting thither at times of publick Worship But Religion encreasing apace the publick Assembly especially in the greater Cities quickly began to be too vast and numerous to be managed with any order and conveniency and therefore they were forced to divide the body into particular Congregations who had their Pastors and spiritual Guides set over them but still were under the superintendency and care of him that was the President or Bishop of the place And according as the Church could form and establish its discipline the people either according to their seniority and improvement or according to the quality of the present condition they were under began to be distinguished into several ranks and Classes which had their distinct places in the Church and their gradual admission to the several parts of the publick Worship The first were the Catechumens and of these there were two sorts the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or more perfect such as had been Catechumens of some considerable standing and were even ripe for Baptism these might stay not only the reading of the Scriptures but to the very last part of the first Service The others were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the more rude and imperfect who stood only amongst the Hearers and were to depart the Congregation as soon as the Lessons were read these were as yet accounted Heathens who applied themselves to the Christian Faith and were catechized and instructed in the more plain grounds and rudiments of Religion These principles were gradually delivered to them according as they became capable to receive them first the more plain and then the more difficult Indeed they were very shye of imparting the knowledge of the more recondite Doctrines of Christianity to any till after Baptism So S. Cyril expresly assures us where speaking to the illuminate or Baptized if during the chatechetical exercise says he a Catechumen shall ask thee what that means which the Preachers say tell him not for he is yet without and these mysteries are delivered to thee only The weak understanding of a Catechumen being no more able to bear such sublime mysteries than a sick mans head can large and immoderate draughts of Wine And at the end of his Preface he has this note These Catechetical discourses may be read by those that are to be baptized or the faithful already baptized but to Catechumens or such as are no Christians thou mayst not impart them for if thou dost expect to give an account to God S. Basil discoursing of the Rites and Institutions of Christianity divides them into two parts the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were those parts of Religion which might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be familiarly preached and expounded to the people The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were the more sublime and hidden Doctrines and parts of the Christian Faith and these were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things not rashly and commonly to be divulged but to be lock'd up in silence Of this nature were the Doctrines of the Trinity and Hypostatick Vnion and such like especially of the two Sacraments Baptism and the Lords Supper For though they acquainted their young hearers with so much of them as was necessary to stir up their desires yet as to the main of the things themselves the sacramental Symbols the manner of their celebration the modus of the divine presence at the holy Eucharist the meaning of all those mystical Rites and Ceremonies that were used about them these were carefully concealed both from Strangers and Catechumens and communicated only to those who were solemnly initiated and baptized Hence that ancient form so common in the Sermons and Writings of the Fathers whereby when accidentally discoursing before the people of any of these mysterious parts of Religion they used to fetch themselves off with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those that are initiated know what is said This was so usual that this phrase occurs at least fifty times in the Writings of S. Chrysostom only as Casaubon hath observed who has likewise noted three reasons out of the Fathers why they so studiously concealed these parts of their Religion First the nature of the things themselves so sublime and remote from vulgar apprehensions that they would signifie little to Pagans or Catechumens not yet fully instructed and confirmed in the faith and would either be lost upon them or in danger to be derided by them Secondly that hereby the Catechumens and younger Christians might be inflamed with a greater eagerness of desire to partake of the mysteries and priviledges of the Faithful humane nature being desirous of nothing more than the knowledge of what is kept and conceal'd from us To help them forwards in this S. Augustine tells us that in their publick prayers they were wont to beg of God to inspire the Catechumens with a desire of baptismal regeneration The same account Chrysostom gives us this
being part of the form used in their publick Service Let us pray that the most gracious and merciful God would hear the prayers of the Catechumens and what it was they prayed for he presently add viz. that they might no longer remain in that state Upon these accounts initiation by Baptism but especially admission to the Lords Supper is amongst other titles in the Writers of those times called Desiderata because so earnestly desired and sought for by those that were not yet taken in The truth is till persons arrived at this state they were not accounted Christians or but in a large sense as Candidates that stood in order to it and therefore could not satisfie themselves either to live or dye in that condition wherein they wanted the great seals and pledges of their Christianity Thirdly to beget in mens minds the higher esteem and veneration for these religious mysteries nothing producing a greater contempt even in sacred things than too much openness and familiarity So that a little obscurity and concealment might seem necessary to vindicate them from contempt and secure the majesty and reverence that was due to them This made the Fathers Seniors of the Church says S. Basil in prescribing Rites and Laws leave many things in the dark behind the vail and curtain that they might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preserve the sacredness and dignity that was due to the mysteries of Religion For a thing says he cannot properly be said to be a mystery when 't is once expos'd to every vulgar and common ear But of this enough if not too much And as they were careful to keep the higher parts of Christianity within the cognizance of the faithful so they were not less careful to teach and instruct the Catechumens in all those principles they were capable of being taught This at their first coming over was done privately and at home by persons deputed on purpose to that office by the Bishop as Balsamon clearly intimates till they were sufficiently instructed in the first and more intelligible principles of the faith Then they were admitted into the Congregation and suffered to be present at some parts of the Divine Service especially the Sermons which were made for the building them up unto higher measures of knowledge which being ended they were commanded to depart the Church not being suffered to be present at the more solemn Rites especially the celebration of the Lords Supper and in this manner they were trained up till they were initiated by baptism and taken into the highest form of Christians How long persons remained in the state of the Catechumens is difficult to determine it not being always nor in all places alike but longer in some and shorter in others and probably according to the capacity of the persons The Apostolick Constitutions appoint three years for the Catechumen to be instructed but provide withal that if any one be diligent and virtuous and have a ripeness of understanding for the thing he may be admitted to Baptism sooner for say they not the space of time but the fitness and manners of men are to be regarded in this matter The next sort were the Penitents such as for some misdemeanours were under the censures and severity of the Church and were gradually to obtain absolution from it Of these there were several degrees five especially mentioned by S. Gregory of Neo-Caesarea who liv'd about the year 250. The first were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as wept and lamented and were rather Candidates to be received into the order of Penitents than Penitents properly so called These usually stood in a squalid and mournful habit at the Church-Porch with tears and great importunity begging of the Faithful as they went in to pray for them The second were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hearers who were admitted to hear the holy Scriptures read and expounded to the people Their station was at the upper end of the Narthex or first part of the Church and were to depart the Congregation at the same time with the Catechumens The third Class of Penitents was that of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prostrate because service being ended they fell down before the Bishop who together with the Congregation falling down and making confession in their behalf after rais'd them up and laid his hands upon them These stood within the body of the Church next the Pulpit or Reading-Pew and were to depart together with the Catechumens The fourth were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Consistentes such as stayed with the rest of the Congregation and did not depart with the Catechumens but after they and the other Penitents were gone out stayed and joined in prayer and singing but not in receiving the Sacrament with the faithful These after some time were advanced into the fifth and last order of the Communicantes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Gregory calls it and were admitted to the participation of the holy Sacrament This was the state of the Penitents in the primitive Church Persons having fully passed through the state of the Catechumenate became then immediate Candidates of Baptism presented their names to the Bishop and humbly prostrating themselves begged that they might be entred into the Church These were called Competentes because they did Competere gratiam Christi sue for the grace of Christ conferred in Baptism The last rank was that of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Faithful who having been baptized and confirmed and having approved themselves by the long train and course of a strict pious life were then admitted to the participation of the Lords Supper which being the highest and most venerable mystery of the Christian Religion was not then rashly given to any but to such only as had run through all other degrees and by a course of piety evidenced themselves to be such real and faithful Christians as that the highest mysteries and most solemn parts of Religion might be committed to them This was the highest order and looked upon with great regard and for any of this rank to lapse and be overtaken with a fault cost them severer penances than were imposed upon the inferiour forms of Christians This in short was the state of the people But because 't is not possible any body or community of men should be regularly managed without some particular persons to superintend direct and govern the affairs of the whole Society therefore we are next to enquire what persons there were in the primitive Church that were peculiarly set apart to steer its affairs and to attend upon the publick Offices and Ministrations of it That God always had a peculiar people whom he selected for himself out of the rest of mankind is too evident to need any proof Such were the Patriarchs and the holy seed of old such the Jews chosen by him above all other Nations in the world This was his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
observed the Apostolick Canon not to chuse a Novice but of an age competent to that Office that he was chosen to though it varied according to times and persons and the occasions of the Church For that of Bishops I find not any certain age positively set down Photius in his Nomo-Canon speaks of an Imperial constitution that requires a Bishop not to be under thirty five but the Apostolical Constitutions allow not a man to be made a Bishop under fifty years of age as having then passed all juvenile petulancies and disorders 'T is certain they were not generally some extraordinary instances alter not the case promoted to that Office till they were of a considerable age and thence frequently stiled majores natu in the Writings of the Church Presbyters were commonly made at thirty yea the Council of Neocaesarea decreed that no man though otherwise of never so unquestionable a conversation should be ordained Presbyter before that age the reason whereof they give because Christ himself was not baptized nor began to preach till the thirtieth year of his age The Council of Agde requires the same age but assigns another reason not before thirty years of age because then say they he comes to the age of a perfect man Deacons were made at twenty five and the like distance and proportion observed for the inferiour Officers under them I take no notice in this place of Monks Hermits c. partly because although they were under a kind of Ecclesiastical relation by reason of their more than ordinarily strict and severe profession of Religion yet were they not usually in holy Orders and partly because Monachism was of no very early standing in the Church begining probably about the times of the later persecutions and even then too Monks were quite another thing both in profession habit and way of life from what they are at this day as will abundantly appear to him that will take the pains to compare the account which S. Hierom Augustine Palladius Cassian and others give of those primitive Monks with the several Orders in the Church of Rome at this day I shall only add that out of the Monks persons were usually made choice of to be advanced into the Clergie as is evident not only from multitudes of instances in the Writers of the fourth and following Centuries but from an express Law of the Emperour Arcadius to that purpose the strictness of their lives and the purity of their manners more immediately qualifying them for those holy Offices insomuch that many times they were advanced unto the Episcopal Chair without going through the usual intermediate Orders of the Church several instances whereof Serapion Apollonius Agatho Aristo and some others Athanasius reckons up in his Epistle to Dracontius who being a Monk refused a Bishoprick to which he was chosen But because we meet in the ancient Writings of the Church with very frequent mention of persons of another Sex Deaconesses who were employed in many Offices of Religion it may not be amiss in this place to give some short account of them Their original was very early and of equal standing with the infancy of the Church such was Phebe in the Church of Cenchris mentioned by S. Paul such were those two Servant-maids spoken of by Pliny in his Letter to the Emperour whom he examined upon the Rack such was the famous Olympias in the Church of Constantinople not to mention any more particular instances They were either Widows and then not to be taken into the service of the Church under threescore years of age according to S. Paul's direction or else Virgins who having been educated in order to it and given testimony of a chast and sober conversation were set apart at forty what the proper place and ministry of these Deaconesses was in the ancient Church though Matthew Blastares seems to render a little doubtful yet certainly it principally consisted in such offices as these to attend upon the Women at times of Publick Worship especially in the administration of Baptism that when they were to be divested in order to their immersion they might overshadow them so as nothing of indecency and uncomeliness might appear sometimes they were employed in instructing the more rude and ignorant sort of women in the plain and easie principles of Christianity and in preparing them for Baptism otherwhiles in visiting and attending upon Women that were sick in conveying messages counsels consolations relief especially in times of persecution when it was dangerous for the Officers of the Church to the Martyrs and them that were in Prison and of these women no doubt it was that Libanius speaks of amongst the Christians who were so very ready to be employed in these offices of humanity But to return Persons being thus set apart for holy Offices the Christians of those days discovered no less piety in that mighty respect and reverence which they paid to them that the Ministers of Religion should be peculiarly honoured and regarded seems to have been accounted a piece of natural justice by the common sentiments of mankind the most barbarous and unpolished Nations that ever had a value for any thing of Religion have always had a proportionable regard to them to whom the care and administration of it did belong Julian the Emperour expresly pleads for it as the most reasonable thing in the world that Priests should be honoured yea in some respects above civil Magistrates as being the immediate attendants and domestick servants of God our intercessors with Heaven and the means of deriving down great blessings from God upon us But never was this clearlier demonstrated than in the practice of the primitive Christians who carried themselves towards their Bishops and Ministers with all that kindness and veneration which they were capable to express towards them S. Paul bears record to the Galatians that he was accounted so dear to them that if the plucking out their eyes would have done him any good they were ready to have done it for his sake and S. Clement testifies of the Corinthians that they walked in the Laws of God being subject to them that had the rule over them yielding also due honour to the seniors or elder persons that were amongst them That by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place he should mean Civil Magistrates as some have told us I can hardly be perswaded both because 't is the same word that 's used by the Author to the Hebrews obey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them that have the rule over you and submit your selves and indeed both Eusebius and S. Hierom of old observed such a mighty affinity in the phrase between this and the Epistle to the Hebrews as certainly to conclude S. Clemens to have been if not the Author at least the Translator of that Epistle and also because the sole occasion of S. Clements writing this Epistle was a mutiny which they had
elevation of their minds the lifting up their thoughts from low sordid objects to those spiritual and divine things they were then conversant about But what ever they did in other parts of the publick Service they constantly stood up at the reading of the Gospel a custom generally embraced in all parts of the Christian world Therefore Sozomen discoursing of the various rights observed in several Churches notes it as an unusual thing in the Bishop of Alexandria that he did not rise up when the Gospels were read a thing says he which I never saw nor heard of in any other place and Philostorgius tells us of Theophilus the Indian Bishop that amongst several irregularities which he corrected in those Churches he particularly reformed this that the people were wont to sit while the Lessons out of the Gospel were read to them Nor did the greatest personages think themselves too high to express this piece of reverence in their attendance upon the King of Kings 'T is very memorable what we read concerning the great Constantine that when upon occasion Eusebius was to make a Panegyrick concerning the Sepulchre of our Saviour though it was not in the Church but in the Palace yet he refused to sit all the time and when Eusebius beseeched him to sit down in his Throne that was hard by him he would not but attentively heard judged and approved those things that were spoken and when after a good while the Sermon having been prolix Eusebius out of compliance would have broken off and done he called to him to go on till he came to the full end of his discourse whereupon he was again sollicited to sit down but refused affirming it to be unfit to attend upon any discourse concerning God and much more at this time with ease and softness and that it was very consonant to piety and religion that discourses about divine things should be heard standing So great a reverence had that excellent Prince for the solemnities of divine Worship In the discharge of these holy Exercises as they carried themselves with all seriousness and gravity so they continued in them till they were compleatly finished there was then no such airiness and levity as now possesses the minds of men no snatching at some pieces of the Worship tanquam Canis ad Nilum and gone again no rude disorderly departing the Congregation till the whole Worship and Service of God was over And therefore when this warmth and vigour of the first Ages was a little abated the Council of Orleans thought good to re-establish the primitive devotion by this Canon That when the people came together for the celebration of divine Service they should not depart till the whole Solemnity was over and the Bishop or Presbyter had given the blessing CHAP. X. Of Baptism and the administration of it in the Primitive Church Four circumstances considered Baptism by whom administred By none usually without the leave of the Bishop The great controversie about re-baptizing those that had been baptized by Hereticks An account of it out of Cyprian Laymen how suffered to baptize The opinion of the absolute necessity of Baptism The case of Athanasius his baptizing when but a Child Women never permitted to baptize Persons to be baptized who Infants Sufficient evidence for Infant-baptism in the ancient Writers of the Church Some passages out of Cyprian noted The baptized most-what adult persons The stated times of Baptism Easter and Whitsuntide and why Especially upon Easter Eve and why In cases of necessity at any other time Clinici who Clinic-baptism accounted less perfect why Vsual to defer Baptism till a death-bed and the reason of it noted in Constantine and others Being baptized for the dead what probably The usual place of Baptism in or near the Church always before the Congregation The Baptisterium or Font where it stood and how large It s distinct apartments for men and women A curiosity in many in those times of being baptized in Jordan and why The manner of the Administration The person baptized looked towards the West and why Their answering as to the profession of their faith Their solemn abrenunciation made twice and the form of it Sureties in Baptism Persons baptized exorcised what meant by it Vnction upon what account used several reasons of it assigned by the Fathers The sign of the Cross made in Baptism evident out of the ancient Fathers Of immersion or putting the person under water what it shadowed out Generally in use in those Countries not absolutely necessary in others Trine immersion different reasons of it assigned by the Fathers It obtained not in Spain and why A second Vnction Persons after Baptism clothed in white garments and why These kept in the Church as a testimony of their solemn engagement a memorable instance out of Victor Uticensis A brief account of confirmation the neglect of it bewailed OUR Lord having instituted Baptism and the Lords Supper as the two great Sacraments of the Christian Law they have accordingly been ever accounted principal parts of publick Worship in the Christian Church we shall treat first of Baptism as being the door by which persons enter in the great and solemn rite of our initiation into the faith of Christ concerning which four circumstances are chiefly to be enquired into the persons by and upon whom the time when the place where the manner how this Sacrament was administred in the ancient Church For the persons by whom this Sacrament was administred they were the Ministers of the Gospel the Stewards of the mysteries of Christ baptizing and preaching the Gospel being joined together by our Saviour in the same Commission usually 't was done by the Bishop the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in J. Martyr the Antistes in Tertullian the President or chief Minister of the Congregation the summus sacerdos qui est Episcopus as he calls him without whose leave and authority neither Presbyters nor Deacons might take upon them to baptize as not only Ignatius but Tertullian expresly tells us and if they did it was only in case of necessity as is affirmed by an ancient Author who lived in or near the time of Cyprian the same S. Hierom assures us was the custom in his time though otherwhiles we find the Bishop to begin the action and the Presbyters to carry it on and finish it But as Christianity encreased this became a more familiar part of the Presbyters and the Deacons office and doubtless had been more or less executed by them from the beginning though out of reverence to the Bishop and to preserve the honour of the Church as Tertullian gives the reason they did it not without his leave and deputation and 't is certain that Philip baptized the Eunuch who yet was of no higher order than that of Deacon Nor was it accounted enough by some in those times that Baptism was conferred by a person called to the Ministry unless he was
off the sacred obligation of thy Baptism and the true faith which thou didst then profess and take upon thee Thesese were the main and most considerable circumstances wherewith Baptism was administred in the primitive Church some whereof were by degrees antiquated and disused other rites there were that belonged only to particular Churches and which as they were suddenly taken up so were as quickly laid aside others were added in after-times till they encreased so fast that the usage and the number of them became absurd and burdensom as may appear by the office for Baptism in the Romish Ritual at this day As a conclusion to this Chapter I had once thought to have treated concerning Confirmation which ever was a constant appendage to Baptism and had noted some things to that purpose but shall supersede that labour finding it so often and so fully done by others in just discourses that nothing considerable can be added to them only I shall give this brief and general account of it all persons baptized in the ancient Church according to their age and capacity persons adult some little time after Baptism Children when arrived to years of competent ripeness and maturity were brought to the Bishop there further to confirm and ratifie that compact which they had made with God in Baptism and by some solemn acts of his ministry to be themselves confirmed and strengthned by having the grace and blessing of God conferred upon them to enable them to discharge that great promise and engagement which they had made to God This was usually performed with the Ceremony of Vnction the person confirmed being anointed by the Bishop or in his absence by an inferiour Minister and indeed Unction was an ancient rite used in the Jewish Church to denote the conferring of gifts or graces upon persons and thence probably amongst other reasons as many other usages were might be derived into the Christian Church though a learned man is of opinion that unction was never used in confirmation but where the person being in case of necessity baptized by some of the inferior Clergy had not been before anointed otherwise those who had received compleat Baptism were not afterwards anointed at their confirmation for which the Council of Orange is most express and clear And indeed that Confirmation was often administred without this unction no man can doubt that knows the state of those times being done only by solemn imposition of the Bishops hands and by devout and pious prayers that the persons confirmed might grow in grace and the knowledge of Christ and be enabled to perform those vows and purposes and that profession of Faith which they had before embraced in Baptism and then again owned before the whole Congregation Till this was done they were not accounted compleat Christians nor admitted to the holy Communion nor could challenge any actual right to those great priviledges of Christianity whence it is that the Ancients so often speak of Confirmation as that which did perfect and consummate Christians as being a means to confer greater measures of that grace that was but begun in Baptism upon all which accounts and almost exactly according to the primitive usage it is still retained and practised in our own Church at this day and happy were it for us were it kept up in its due power and vigour sure I am 't is too plain that many of our unhappy breaches and controversies in Religion do if not wholly in a great measure owe their birth and rise to the neglect and contempt of this excellent usage of the Church CHAP. XI Of the Lords Supper and the administration of it in the ancient Church The persons dispensing this Ordinance who The persons Communicating the Baptized or the Faithful Suspension from this Ordinance according to the nature of the offence The Eucharist sent home to them that could not be present The case of Serapion A custom in some places to give the Sacrament to persons when dead if they dyed before they could receive it and why The Eucharist kept by persons at home Sent abroad This laid aside and in its stead Eulogiae or pieces of consecrated Bread sent from one Church to another as tokens of communion The time of its administration sometimes in the morning sometimes at night varied according to the peace they enjoyed How oft they received the Eucharist At first every day This continued in Cyprian's time Four times a week Afterwards less frequented The usual place of receiving the Church ordinarily not lawful to consecrate it elsewhere Oblations made by persons before their communicating Their Agapae or Love-Feasts what Whether before or after the Sacrament How long continued in the Church The manner of celebrating this Sacrament collected out of the most ancient Authors The holy Kiss The general prayer for the Church and the whole world The consecration of the Sacrament the form of it out of S. Ambrose The Bread common Bread The sacramental Wine mixed with Water This no necessary part of the institution Why probably used in those Countries The posture of receiving not always the same Singing Psalms during the time of celebration Followed with prayer and thanksgiving The whole action concluded with the Kiss of peace THE holy Eucharist or Supper of our Lord being a rite so solemnly instituted and of such great importance in the Christian Religion had place accordingly amongst the Ancients in their publick offices and devotions In speaking to which I shall much what observe the same method I did in treating concerning Baptism considering the persons the time the place and the manner of its celebration The persons administring were the ordinary Pastors and Governours of the Church those who were set apart for the ministration of holy offices the institution was begun by our Lord himself and the administration of it by him committed to his Apostles and to their ordinary successors to the end of the world We find in Tertullian that they never received it from any but the hand of the President which must either be meant of the particular custom of that Church where he lived or of consecration only for otherwise the custom was when the Bishop or President had by solemn Prayers and blessings consecrated the sacramental elements for the Deacons to distribute them to the people as well to those that were absent as to them that were present as Justin Martyr expresly affirms and as the custom generally was afterwards For the persons communicating at this Sacrament at first the whole Church or body of Christians within such a space that had embraced the doctrine of the Gospel and been baptized into the faith of Christ used constantly to meet together at the Lords Table As Christians multiplied and a more exact discipline became necessary none were admitted to this ordinance till they had arrived at the degree of the Faithful for who ever were in the state of the Catechumens i.
e. under instruction in order to their Baptism or by reason of any hainous crime under the censures and suspension of the Church and not yet passed through the several stages of the Penitents might not communicate and were therefore commanded to depart the Church when the rest went to the celebration of the Sacrament for looking upon the Lords Supper as the highest and most solemn act of Religion they thought they could never take care enough in the dispensing of it accordingly who ever was found guilty of any scandalous fault was according to the nature of the offence debarred the Communion a shorter or a longer time and sometimes all their life not to be reconciled and taken into the communion of the Church till they had continued their repentance to their death-bed As for those persons that could not be present either through distance of place sickness or any other just cause the Eucharist was wont to be sent home to them some little pieces of the consecrated bread dipt in the sacramental Cup which were usually carried by the Deacon or some inferior Officer of the Church or in cases of necessity by any other person as in the case of Serapion of whom Dionysius of Alexandria relates that having been all his life a good man at last lapsed in a time of persecution and though he oft desired reconciliation yet none would communicate with him not long after he was seized upon by a mortal sickness depriv'd of the use of his speech and senses but coming to himself after four days he sends his Nephew a little Boy late at night for one of the Presbyters to come to him the Minister was at that time sick but considering the exigence of the case gives the Boy a little piece of the Eucharist bids him to moisten it with a little water and so give it him in his mouth which he did and immediately the old man chearfully departed this life For the better understanding of which we are to observe that those who had lapsed into Idolatry were to undergo a very long time of penance and were not many times admitted to the Communion till they were near their death and because it sometimes hapned that they were overtaken with sudden death before the Sacrament could be administred to them thence a custom sprung up to give it them after they were dead which they did doubtless upon this ground that they might give some kind of evidence that those persons died in the peace and communion of the Church though this usage was afterwards by many Councils abrogated and laid aside I take no notice in this place of their giving the Eucharist to new-baptized Infants the case being so commonly known and obvious In those early times nothing was more common than for Christians either to carry or to have sent to them some parts of the Eucharist which they kept in some decent place in their houses against all emergent occasions especially to fortifie and strengthen their faith in times of persecution and to encrease kindness and amity with one another whence one that was well versed in Church-Antiquities conjectures that when ever they entertained Friends or Strangers they used before every meal first to give them some parts of the holy Eucharist as being the greatest badge the strongest band of true love and friendship in the world Besides these parcels of the sacramental Elements there were wont at the celebration of the Communion to be pieces of bread which remained of the Offerings of the people which being solemnly blessed by the Bishop might be given to those who had no right to be at the Lords Table as to the Catechumens and such like and were to them instead of the Sacrament These pieces were properly called Eulogiae because set apart by solemn benediction and were sent up and down the Towns and Villages round about to testifie and represent their mutual union and fellowship with one another nay and sometimes from Churches in one Country to those that were in another which was also done by the Eucharist it self for so Irenaeus in a Letter to Pope Victor tells us that the Ministers of Churches though differing in some little circumstances did yet use to send the Eucharist to one another Which custom is also taken notice of by Zonaras but because the carrying the Sacramental Elements up and down the World was thought not so well to consist with the reverence and veneration that is due to this solemn Ordinance therefore it was abolished by the Laodicean Synod and these Eulogiae or pieces of bread appointed at Easter to be sent up and down in their room For the Time the next circumstance when they met together for this solemn Action it was in general at their publick Assemblies on the Lords day always or the first day of the week as we find it in the History of the Apostles Acts besides other days and especially Saturday on which day all the Churches in the World those of Rome only and Alexandria excepted used to celebrate this Sacrament as the Historian informs us What time of the day they took to do it is not altogether so certain our blessed Saviour and his Apostles celebrated it at night at the time of the Jewish Passover but whether the Apostles and their immediate Successors punctually observed this circumstance may be doubted 't is probable that the holy Eucharist which S. Paul speaks of in the Church of Corinth was solemnized in the morning the Apostles calling it a Supper as Chrysostom thinks not because 't was done in the evening but the more effectually to put them in mind of the time when our Lord did institute those holy Mysteries Tertullian assures us in his time 't was done in tempore victus about Supper-time as all understand him and very often in the morning before day when they held their religious Assemblies of which Pliny also takes notice in his Letter to the Emperour for in those times of Persecution when they were hunted out by the inquisitive malice of their enemies they were glad of the remotest corners the most unseasonable hours when they could meet to perform the joynt offices of Religion But this communicating at evening or at night either lasted only during the extreme heats of Persecution or at least wore off apace for Cyprian expresly pleads against it affirming that it ought to be in the morning and so indeed in a short time it prevailed over most parts of the World except in some places of Egypt near Alexandria of which Socrates tells us that after they had sufficiently feasted themselves in the evening they were wont to receive the Sacrament Under this circumstance of time we may take occasion to consider how oft in those days they usually met at this table And at first while the Spirit of Christianity was yet warm and vigorous and the hearts of men passionately inflamed with the
says he of our strange and wonderful courage and strength new additions are made to us for when the people see men torn in pieces with infinite variety of torments and yet maintain a patience unconquerable and able to tire out its tormentors they begin to think what the truth is that the consent of so many and the perseverance of dying persons cannot be in vain nor that patience it self were it not from God could hold out under such racks and tortures Thieves and men of a robust body are not able to bear such tearing in pieces they groan and cry out and are overcome with pain because not endued with a divine patience but our very children and women to say nothing of our men do with silence conquer their tormentors nor can the hottest fire force the least groan from them Let the Romans go now and boast of their Mutius and Regulus of the one for delivering himself up to his enemy to be put to death because he was ashamed to live a prisoner of the other for burning his hand at the command of the enemy to save his life Behold with us the â—â—â—ker Sex and the most tender age can suffer all parts of their body to be torn and burnt not out of necessity because they might not escape if they would but out of choice because they believe in God This is that true Vertue which Philosophers indeed vainly boast of but never really possessed This and more to the same purpose that eloquent Apologist there urges to the great honour of his Religion By the force of such arguments Justine Martyr confesses that he was brought over from being a Plaâ—onick Philosopher to be a Christian for when he saw the Christians whom he had so often heard accused and traduced undauntedly going to dye and embracing the most terrible executions that were prepared for them I thought with my self says he that it was not possible such persons should wallow in vice and luxury it being the interest of all wicked and voluptuous persons to shun death to dissemble with Princes and Magistrates and to do any thing to save their lives This certainly could not but be a huge satisfaction to all prudent and confiderate men that the Christians were guided by better Principles than ordinary and that they were fully assured that theirs was the true Religion and that they taught nothing but what they firmly believed to be true For to maintain such patience and constancy even unto death says Origen speaking of the Apostles propagating the doctrine of Christ is not the fashion of those who feign things of their own heads but is a manifest argument to all candid and ingenuous Readers that they knew what they writ to be true when they so chearfully endured so many and such grievous things only for the sake of the Son of God in whom they had believed No dangers could affright them no threatnings or torments could baffle them out of their profession Therefore when Celsus accused the Christians for a fearful sort of men and such as lov'd their Carcasses well Origen answers No such matter We can as chearfully lay down our bodies to suffer for Religion as the hardiest Philosopher of you all can put off his coat And indeed the Gospel did mightily prosper and triumph in the midst of these dreadful sufferings men rationally concluding that there must be something more than humane in that doctrine for which so many thus deeply ventur'd So Tertullian tells Scapula in the conclusion of his Book It 's to no purpose to think this Sect will fail which you will see to be the more built up the faster 't is pull'd down for who is there that beholding such eminent patience cannot but have some scruples started in his mind and be desirous to enquire into the cause of it and when he once knows the Truth he himself moved to close with it and embrace it Therefore Julian the Apostate out of a cursed policy refused many times openly to put Christians to death partly because he envied them the honour of being Martyrs partly because he saw that they were like new mown grass the oftner it was cut down the thicker it sprang up again I shall add no more concerning this subject but the testimony which the very enemies of Christians gave them in this case Julian the Emperour whom we so lately mention'd and who fought against Christians with their own weapons making use of those Scriptures which he had studied while he was amongst them when the Christians complained to him of those oppressions and injuries which the Governours of Provinces laid upon them made light of it and dismissed them with this virulent sarcasm Your Christ says he has given you a Law that when you suffer unjustly you should bear it resolutely and when oppressed and injured should not answer again And so certainly they did undergoing all kinds of miseries and death it self with so unconcerned a mind that elsewhere he censures them for this very reason to be acted by the Spirit of the Devil Hence Porphyry in a Book that he wrote against the Christians calls their Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a piece of barbarous boldness Barbarous because so different from the way of worship amongst the Greeks with whom every thing was barbarous that agreed not with their principles and institutions Boldness because the Christians shewed such an undaunted courage in bearing miseries and torments chusing to die a thousand times rather than to deny Christ and sacrifice to the gods For this reason the Heathen in M. Foelix styles the Christians men of an undone furious and desperate party respecting their fearless and resolute carriage under sufferings for so he explains himself presently after Is it not a strange folly and an incredible boldness they despise torments that are present and yet fear those that are future and uncertain and while they fear to die after death in the mean time they are not afraid to die so sillily do they flatter themselves and cajole their fears by a deceitful hope of some unknown comforts that shall arise to them This Arrian in his Collection of Epictetus his Dissertations confesses to be true of those whom according to Julians style he calls the Galileans that they underwent torments and death with a mighty courage but which he makes to be the effect only of use and a customary bearing sufferings The Emperour M. Autoninus confesses also the matter of fact that the Christians did thus readily and resolutely die but ascribes it not to judgment and a rational consideration but to meer stubbornness and obstinacy And in an Epistle if that Epistle as now extant be his that he wrote to the Common Council of Asia in favour of the Christians whom his Officers there did grievously vex and oppress gives them this testimony that they could have no greater kindness done them than to be called in
Christian Religion The Gospel principally enjoyns kindness and charity The Primitive Christians eminently of this spirit They accounted all brethren but Christians more especially Their mutual love noted and recorded by their enemies Their mighty zeal and charity for the souls of men to recover them from vice and errour to truth and vertue This the matter of their daily prayer and most serious endeavours even towards their greatest enemies Pamphilus his charity in bestowing Bibles freely upon the poor Preachers maintained for converting the Gentile Phenicians to Christianity The famous story of John's hazarding himself for the regaining a young man debauched by bad companions Monica's care and sollicitude about S. Augustin Some that have sold themselves for slaves that they might convert their Heathen or Heretical Masters Christians not shy of communicating the knowledge of their Religion Their Charity as it respected the necessities of the outward life This noted in several instances of charity Their liberal providing for the poor The bounty of particular persons Divers instances of it The immense charity of Epiphanius exemplary vengeance upon some that abused it The poor accounted the Treasure and Ornaments of the Church represented in the case of Laurentius the Deacon and a story related by Palladius Their visiting and assisting the sick in their own persons eminently noted in the Empress Placilla and the Lady Fabiola The Christians care of their brethren in a great plague at Alexandria Persons appointed on purpose to cure and attend the sick The Parabolani who Their office and number Redemption of Captives Great sums contributed by Cyprian and his people for it Church-plate sold to redeem Christians nay captiv'd enemies Christians embondaging themselves to redeem others The strange charity of Paulinus Bishop of Nola making himself a slave to ransom a poor widows son Their care about the bodies of the dead Decent burial very fit and desirable A piece of piety remarkable in the Christians of those times Their abstaining from the common custome of burning the dead as barbarous The great cost they laid out upon their funerals in embalming intombing c. The Copiatae who What their office and order The Decani or Deans in the Church of Constantinople their number and duty Their providing fit places of Sepulture Their Coemeteria or burying-places in the fields Burying in Cities and Churches when brought in and to whom first granted Their Coemeteria under ground What kind of places they were The great number and vast capacities of them A particular account of one out of Baronius discovered in his time How the Christians were enabled to all these acts of charity At first all in common after by usual contributions The standing stock or treasury of the Church This charity of Christians largely attested by Julian and Lucian Their love and charity universal Doing good to enemies An excellency proper to Christians This manifested in several remakable instances Plainly acknowledged by Julian himself The whole sum'd up in an elegant discourse of Lactantius concerning mercy and charity THat the Christian Religion was immediately designed to improve and perfect the principles of humane nature appears as from many other instances of it so especially from this that it so strictly enjoyns cherishes and promotes that natural kindness and compassion which is one of the prime and essential inclinations of mankind wherever the Gospel is cordially complied with it begets such a sweet and gracious temper of mind as makes us humble affable courteous and charitable ready and disposed to every good work prompt to all offices of humanity and kindness it files off the ruggedness of mens natures banishes a rude churlish and pharisaical temper and infuses a more calm and treatable disposition It commands us to live and love as brethren to love without hypocrisie to have fervent charity amongst our selves and to be kindly affectioned one towards another It lays the sum of our duty toward others in this to love our neighbour as our selves This our Saviour seems to own as his proper and peculiar law and has ratified it with his own solemn sanction A new Commandment I give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another and then makes this the great visible badge of all those who are truly Christians by this shall all men know that you are my Disciples if you have love one to another And so indeed it was in those first and best ages of Religion for no sooner did the Gospel fly abroad into the world but the love and charity of Christians became notorious even to a Proverb the Heathens taking notice of the Christians of those times with this particular remark See how these Christians love one another They were then united in the most happy fraternity a word much used by Christians in those days and objected against them by the Heathens they liv'd as brethren and accounted themselves such not only as being sprung from one common Parent for in this respect that they had Nature for their common Mother they acknowledged the very Heathens to be brethren though otherwise little deserving the name of men but upon much higher accounts viz. that they had one and the same God for their Father drank all of the same spirit of holiness were brought out of the same womb of darkness and ignorance into the same light of truth that they were partakers of the same Faith and co-heirs of the same hope This Lucian himself confesses of them and that it was one of the great Principles that their Master instilled into them that they should all become Brethren after once they had thrown off the Religion of the Gentiles and had embraced the worship of their great crucified Master and given up themselves to live according to his Laws The truth is so ready intire and constant was their kindness and familiarity that the Heathens accused them for having privy marks upon their bodies whereby they fell in love with each other at first sight Indeed they never met but they embraced one another with all the demonstrations of a hearty and sincere affection saluting each other with aâ— holy kiss not only in their own houses but at their Religious Assemblies as a badge and bond of that Christian fellowship and communion that was maintained amongst them But the love and kindness of those Christians of old did not lie only in a smooth complemental carriage or in a parcel of good words depart in peace be you warm'd or fill'd but in the real exercises of charity and mercy Now because the two great objects of Charity are the good of mens souls and their outward and bodily welfare and happiness we shall find that the Primitive Christians were highly eminent and exemplary for both these The soul being of a much higher and nobler nature and consequently infinitely more precious and valuable than the body they were accordingly infinitely careful and solicitous to save mens
Father Constantine the Great a peculiar honour when he obtained to have him buried in the Porch of the Church which he had built at Constantinople to the memory of the Apostles and wherein he had earnestly desired to be buried as Eusebius tells us and in the same many of his Successors were interred it not being in use then nor some hundreds of years after for persons to be buried in the body of the Church as appears from the Capitula of Charles the Great where burying in the Church which then it seems had crept into some places is strictly forbidden During the first ages of Christianity while the malice of their enemies persecuted them both alive and dead their Coemeteria were ordinarily under ground imitating herein the custome of the Jews whose Sepulchres were in Caverns and holes of rocks though doubtless the Christians did it to avoid the rage and fury of their enemies not so much upon the account of secrecy for their frequent retiring to those places was so notorious as could not escape the observation of their enemies and therefore we sometimes find the Emperours Officers readily coming thither but it was upon the account of that Sacredness and Religion that was reckon'd to be due to places of this nature it being accounted by all Nations a piece of great impiety Manes temerare Sepultos to disturb and violate the ashes of the dead They were large vaults dug in dry sandy places and arched over and separated into many little apartments wherein on either side the bodies of the Martyrs lay in distinct Cells each having an Inscription upon Marble whereon his Name Quality and probably the time and manner of his death were engraven Though in the heats of Persecution they were forced to bury great numbers together in one common grave LX Prudentius tells us he observ'd and then not the names but only the number of the interred was written upon the Tomb. Indeed the multitudes of Martyrs that then suffered required very large conveniencies of interrment And so they had insomuch that the last publisher of the Roma Subterranea assures us that though those Coemeteria were under-ground yet were they many times double and sometimes treble two or three stories one still under another By reason hereof they must needs be very dark having no light from without but what peep'd in from a few little cranies which filled the place with a kind of sacred horror as S. Hierom informs us who while a youth when he went to School at Rome us'd upon the Lords day to visit these solemn places Built they were by pious and charitable persons thence called after their names for the interrment of Martyrs and other uses of the Church for in these places Christians in times of persecution were wont to hide themselves and to hold their Religious Assemblies when banished from their publick Churches as I have formerly noted Of these about Rome only Baronius out of the Records in the Vatican reckons up XLIII and others to the number of threescore We may take an estimate of the rest by the account which Baronius gives of one called the Cemeterie of Priscilla discovered in his time An. 1578 in the Via Salaria about three miles from Rome which he often viewed and searched It is says he strange to report the place by reason of its vastness and variety of apartments appearing like a City under ground At the entrance into it there was a principal way or street much larger than the rest which on either hand opened into diverse other wayes and those again divided into many lesser ways and turnings like lanes and allies within one another And as in Cities there are void open places for the Markets so here there were some larger spaces for the holding as occasion was of their Religious Meetings wherein were placed the Effigies and Representations of Martyrs with places in the top to let in light long since stopt up The discovery of this place caused great wonder in Rome being the most exact and perfect Cemeterie that had been yet found out Thus much I thought good to add upon occasion of that singular care which Christians then took about the bodies of their dead If any desire to know more of these venerable Antiquities they may consult onuphrius de Coemeteriis and especially the Latin Edition of the Roma Subterranea where their largest curiosity may be fully satisfied in these things Many other instances of their Charity might be mentioned their ready entertaining strangers providing for those that laboured in the Mines marrying poor Virgins and the like of which to treat particularly would be too vast and tedious To enable them to do these charitable offices they had not only the extraordinary contributions of particular persons but a common stock and treasury of the Church At the first going abroad of the Gospel into the world so great was the Piety and Charity of the Christians That the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own but they had all things common neither was there any among them that lacked for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sold and laid them down at the Apostles feet and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need But this community of goods lasted not long in the Church we find S. Paul giving order to the Churches of Galatia and Corinth for weekly offerings for the Saints that upon the first day of week when they never fail'd to receive the Sacrament they should every one of them lay by him in store according as God had prospered him This custome Justin Martyr assures us still continued in his time for describing the manner of their assemblies on the Lords day he tells us that those who were able and willing contributed what they saw good and the collection was lodg'd in the hands of the Bishop or President and by him distributed for the relief of Widows and Orphans the sick or indigent the imprison'd or strangers or any that were in need In the next age they were reduced to monthly offerings as appears from Tertullian who gives us this account of them in his time That at their Religious Assemblies upon a monthly day or oftner if a man will and be able every one according to his ability laid by somewhat for charitable uses they put it into a kind of poor mans box call'd Arca that stood in the Church this they did freely no man being forced or compelled to it leaving it behind them as a stock to maintain piety and religion for 't is not spent says he upon feasts or drinking-bouts or to gratifie gluttony and intemperance but laid out in relieving the needy burying the dead providing for
Orphans supporting the aged recruiting the spoyled supplying the imprisoned and those that were in mines bonds or slavery for the profession of Christianity This was the fruit of Primitive devotion Palladius tell us of two Brother Paesius and Esaias Sons of a wealthy Merchant that their Father being dead and resolving upon a more strict and religious course of life they could not agree upon setling their Estates in the same way at last dividing their Estates they disposed them thus The one gave away his whole Estate at once setling it upon Monasteries Churches and Prisons for the relief of such as were in bonds and betaking himself to a Trade for a small maintenance for himself gave himself up to prayer and the severer exercises of Religion The other kept his Estate in his own possession but built a Monastery and taking a few Companions to dwell with him entertain'd all strangers that came that way took care of the sick entertained the aged gave to those that needed and every Saturday and Lords day caused two or three tables to be spread for the refreshment and entertainment of the poor and in this excellent way spent their life Now that this account that we have given of the admirable bounty and charity of the antient Christians is not precarious and meerly what the Christians tell us of themselves we have the testimony of two open enemies of Christianity Julian and Lucian both bitter enemies to Christians and the fiercer because both as 't is supposed apostates from them and their testimony is considerable upon a double account partly because having lived amongst the Christians they exactly knew their ways and manners and partly because being enemies to them they would be sure to speak no more in their commendation than what was true Julian speaking of the Galileans tells us that by their charity to the poor they begot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greatest admiration of their Religion in the minds of men And in an Epistle to the High-Priests of Galatia bewailing the desolate state of the heathen-world the ruine of their Temples and the great declension of Paganisme at that time notwitstanding all his endeavours to make it succeed under the influences of his Government he advises the High-Priest to promote the Gentile-interest by the same method which the wicked Religion of the Christians did thrive by i. e. by their bounty to strangers their care in burying of the dead and their holiness of life and elsewhere The poor says he having no care taken of them the wicked Galileans know very well how to make their advantage of it for they give themselves up to humanity and charity and by these plausible and insinuative ways strengthen and encrease their wicked and pernicious party just as men cheat little children with a cake by two or three of which they tempt them to go along with them till having got them from home they clap them under hatches transport and sell them and so for a little seeming pleasure they are condemned to bitterness all their life and no otherwise says he ' t is with them they first inveagle honest minded men with what they call their feasts of Love banquets ministry and attendance upon tables and then seduce them into their wickedness and impiety This as at once it shews his venom and malice according to the humour of the man so it openly bears witness out of the mouth of an emeny to the most excellent and generous spirit of the Gospel The other testimony is that of Lucian who if not a Christian himself for Suidas his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does no way intimate him to have been a Christian Preacher notwithstanding what the generality of Writers have inferred thence was yet however intimately acquainted with the affairs of Christians who bringing in his Philosopher Peregrinus amongst other Sects joyning himself to the Christians tells us what care they took of him when cast into prison they improved all their interest to have him released But when this could not be granted they officiously used all possible service and respect towards him in the morning old women widows and children flock'd early to the prison-doors and the better sort got leave of the Keepers to sleep with him in the prison all night then they had several sorts of banquets and their sacred discourses Nay some were sent in the name of the rest even from the Cities of Asia to assist and encourage him who brought him great sums of mony under pretence of his imprisonment it being incredible what readiness they shew when any such matter is once noys'd abroad and how little they spare any cost in it After which he tells us of them in general that they equally contemn all the advantages of this life and account them common foolishly taking up their principles about these things without any accurate search into them insomuch that if any subtle and crafty fellow that knows how to improve his advantage come amongst them he grows very rich in a little time by making a prey of that simple and credulous people There 's one circumstance yet behind concerning the love and charity of those times very worthy to be taken notice of and that is the universal extent of it they did good to all though more especially to them of the houshold of faith i.e. to Christians they did not confine their bounty meerly within the narrow limits of a party this or that sect of men but embraced an object of love and pitty where-ever they met it They were kind to all men yea to their bitterest enemies and that with a charity as large as the circles of the Sun that visits all parts of the World and shines as well upon a stinking dung-hil as upon a pleasant Garden 'T is certainly the strange and supernatural doctrine of our Saviour you have heard that it hath been said Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy But I say unto you love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you This indeed is the proper goodness and excellency of Christianity as Tertullian observes it being common to all men to love their friends but peculiar only to Christians to love their enemies And Athenagoras I remember principally makes use of this Argument to prove the Divinity of the Christian Religion and challenges all the great Masters of Reason and Learning amongst the Heathens to produce any either of themselves or their Disciples of so pure and refin'd a temper as could instead of hating love their enemies bear curses and revilings with an undisturbed mind and instead of reviling again to bless and speak well of them and to pray for them who lay in wait to take away their lives And yet this did Christians they embraced their enemies pardoned and prayed for them according to the Apostles rule when their
that were amongst men This Argument Eusebius particularly prosecutes and shewes that while the Nations were under Paganism and Idolatry they were filled with wars and troubles and all the effects of barbarous rage and fury but that after the divine and peaceable doctrine of our Saviour came abroad those differences and calamities began to cease according to the predictions that were of him that there should be righteousness and abundance of peace in his days that men should beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning-hooks that Nation should not lift up sword against Nation nor learn war any more that this must needs be in some measure the effect of his appearance his doctrine being so fitly calculated to soften the rough and brutish manners of men and to train them up in milder and more humane institutions And a little after he makes it an uncontroulable argument of the truth and excellency of the Christian doctrine that it teaches men to bear the reproaches and provocations of enemies with a generous and unshaken mind and to be able not to revenge our selves by falling foul upon them with the like indignities and affronts to be above anger and passion and every inordinate and unruly appetite to administer to the wants and necessities of the helpless and to embrace every man as our kindred and countrey-man and though reputed a stranger to us yet to own him as if by the law of Nature he were our nearest friend and brother How much their Religion contributed to the publick tranquillity by forbiding Pride Passion Covetousness and such sins as are the great springs of confusion and disturbance Justin Martyr tells the Emperours As for peace says he we above all men in the world promote and further it forasmuch as we teach that no wicked man no covetous or treacherous person no good or vertuous man can lye hid from the eye of God but that every man is travelling either towards an eternal happiness or misery according to the desert and nature of his works and did all men know and believe this no man would dare for a few moments to deliver up himself to vice and wickedness knowing 't would lead him on to the condemnation of everlasting fire but would rather by all means restrain himself and keep within the bounds of vertue that he might obtain the rewards that are dispens'd by God and avoid the punishments that are inflicted by him The truth is our blessed Lord came not to inspire men with principles of revenge and passion to teach them to return evil for evil but to encourage love and gentleness to teach men to overcome by suffering and to obtain the reward by meekness and patience Isidore the Pelusiote treating of that place to him that smites thee on the right cheek turn the other also has this short discourse upon it The great King of Heaven came down from above to deliver to the world the laws of an heavenly conversation which he has proposed in a way of conflict and striving quite contrary to that of the Olympick games There he that fights and gets the better receives the Crown here he that is stricken and bears it meekly has the honour and applause there he that returns blow for blow here he that turns the other cheek is celebrated in the Theatre of Angels for the victory is measured not by revenge but by a wise and generous patience this is the New Law of Crowns this the new way of conflicts and contentions Such was the temper such the carriage of Christians towards their enemies and them that were without within themselves they maintained the most admirable peace and harmony and were in a manner of one heart and soul They liv'd in the strictest amity and abhorr'd all division as a plague and fire-brand But because mens understandings not being all of one size nor all truths alike plain and evident differences in mens Judgments and Opinions must needs arise no Schism ever arose in the Church about any of the more considerable principles of Religion but it was presently bewailed with the universal resentment of all pious and good men and the breach endeavoured to be made up no ways left unattempted no methods of perswasion omitted that might contribute to it When Novatus or rather Novatian had made some disturbance in the Church of Rome concerning the receiving the lapsed into Communion Dionysius the good Bishop of Alexandria writes to him to extinguish the Schism tells him 't is better to suffer any thing than that the Church of God should be rent in pieces that it 's no less glorious and probably more illustrious to suffer Martyrdom to keep division out of the Church than to dye for not sacrificing to Idols for in the one case a man suffers martyrdom only upon his own account but in the other he suffers for the advantage and benefit of the whole Church And Cyprian positively asserts according to the Apostles resolution of the case that without this unity and charity a man cannot enter into Heaven and that although he should deliver up himself to the flames or cast his body to wild beasts yet this would not be the crown of his Faith but the punishment of his falshood not the glorious exit of a religious vertue but the issue of despair such a one may be killed but he cannot be crowned He that rents the Unity of the Church destroys the Faith disturbs the Peace dissolves Charity and profanes the Holy Sacrament How severely they branded all schism division in the Church how industriously they laboured to take up all controversies amongst Christians and to reconcile dissenting brethren to maintain concord and agreement amongst themselves and to prevent all occasions of quarrel dissention might be easily made to appear out of the Writers of those times Hence those Canonical Epistles as they called them wherewith persons were wont to be furnish'd when going from one place to another of which there were especially three sorts First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Commendatory Epistles mentioned by S. Paul and were in use amongst the Heathens They were granted to Clergy-men going into another Diocess by the Bishop that ordained them testifying their ordination their soundness and orthodoxy in the Faith the innocency and unblameableness of their lives To those that had been under or had been suspected of Excommunication declaring their absolution and recommending them to be received in the number of the faithful Lastly they were granted to all whether Clergy or Laity that were to travel as Tickets of Hospitality that whereever they came upon the producing these letters they might be known to be Catholick and Orthodox and as such received and entertained by them A piece of prudence which Julian the Apostate admired in the Christian constitution the like whereto he endeavoured to establish in his Pagan reformation The Second sort were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Letters Dimissory
whereby leave was given to persons going into another Diocess either to be Ordained by the Bishop of that place or if ordain'd already to be admitted and incorporated into the Clergy of that Church Upon which account the ancient Councils every where provide that no stranger shall either receive ordination at the hands of another Bishop or exercise any ministerial act in another Diocess without the consent and dimissory Letters of the Bishop of that place from whence he comes The third were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 letters of Peace granted by the Bishop to the poor that were oppressed and such as fled to the Church for its protection and assistance but esp ecially to such of the Clergy as were to go out of one Diocess into another it being directed to the Bishop of that Diocess that he would receive him that so he might take no offence but that peaceable concord and agreement might be maintained between them By these arts the prudence of those times sought to secure the peace of the Church and as much as might be prevent all dissentions that might arise And where matters of any greater moment fell out how quickly did they flock together to compose and heal them Hence those many Synods and Councils that were conven'd to umpire differences to explain or define Articles of Faith to condemn and suppress the disturbers of the Church and innovators in Religion What infinite care did the good Emperour Constantine take for composing the Arrian controversies which then began first to infect and over-run the world How much his heart was set upon it his sollicitous thoughts taken up about it how many troublesome days and restless nights it cost him with what strong and nervous arguments what affectionate intreaties he presses it may be seen in that excellent Letter yet extant in his Life which he wrote to the Authors of those impious and unhappy controversies But when this would not do he summon'd the great Council of Nice consisting of three hundred and eighteen Bishops and in his Speech at the opening of that Council conjur'd them by all that was dear and sacred to agree and to compose those dissentions which were risen in the Church which he seriously protested he looked upon as more grievous and dangerous than any war whatsoever and that they created greater trouble and inquietude to his mind than all the other affairs of his Empire And when several of the Bishops then in Council had preferred Libells and Accusations one against another without ever reading them he bundled and seal'd them all up together and having reconciled and made them friends produc'd the papers and immediately threw them into the fire before their faces So passionately desirous was that good Prince to extinguish the flames and to redeem the peace of the Church at any rate Were any ejected and thrown out of the Church of which there might be a suspicion of private grudges or designs the Nicene Council wisely provided That in every Province a Synod should be held twice a year where all the Bishops meeting together might discuss the case and compose the difference Or as Joseph the Egyptian in his Arabick version of that Canon tells us an Arbitrator was to be appointed between the differing parties to take up the quarrel that it might not be a scandal to Religion Nor did there want meek and peaceable-minded men who valued the publick welfare before any private and personal advantage and could make their own particular concerns strike sail when the peace and interest of the Church called for it When great contests and confusions were raised by some perverse and unquiet persons about the See of Constantinople then possest by Gregory Nazianzen he himself stood up in the midst of the Assembly and told the Bishops how unfit it was that they who were preachers of peace to others should fall out amongst themselves beg'd of them even by the Sacred Trinity to manage their affairs calmly and peaceably and if I says he be the Jonas that raises the storm throw me into the Sea and let these storm and tempests cease I am willing to undergo what ever you have a mind to and though innocent and unblameable yet for your peace and quiet sake am content to be banished the throne and to be cast out of the City only according to the Prophets counsel be careful to love truth and peace And therewith freely resigned his Bishoprick though legally setled in it by the express command and warrant of the Emperour and the universal desires and acclamations of the people The same excellent temper ruled in S. Chrysostome one of his successours in that See when having elegantly pressed the unity of the Church and refuted those petty cavils which his adversaries had against himself But if you says he to his people suspect these things of us we are ready to deliver up our place and power to whomsoever you will only let the Church be preserved in peace and unity This was the brave and noble disposition of mind to which S. Clemens sought to reduce the Corinthians after they had fallen into a little Schism and disorder Who is there among you says he of that generous temper that compassionate and charitable disposition Let him say if this Sedition these Schisms and contentions have arisen through my means or upon my account I 'le depart and be gone whithersoever you please and will do what the people shall command only let Christs sheep-fold together with the Elders that are placed over it be kept in peace Nay when good men were most zealous about the main and foundation-articles of Faith so as sometimes rather to hazard Peace than to betray the Truth yet in matters of indifferency and such as only concern'd the rituals of Religion they mutually bore with one another without any violation of that Charity which is the great law of Christianity Thus in that famous controversie about the keeping of Easter so much agitated between the Eastern and Western Churches Irenaeus in a Letter to Pope Victor who of all that ever sat in that chair had raised the greatest stirs about it tells him that Bishops in former times however they differed about the observation of it yet alwayes maintain'd an intire concord and fellowship with one another the Churches being careful to maintain a peaceable communion though differing in some particular Rites and Ceremonies yea even when their rites and customs seemed to clash by meeting together at the same place Thus when Polycarp came to Rome from the Churches of the East to treat with Pope Anicetus about this and some other affairs though they could not satisfie each other to yield the controversie yet they kissed and embraced one another with mutual endearments received the Holy Communion together and Anicetus to do the greater honour to Polycarp gave him leave to celebrate and consecrate the Eucharist in his Church and at last they parted in
that is next to God we sacrifice for his safety but 't is to his and our God and so as he has commanded only by holy prayer for the great God needs no blood or sweet perfumes these are the banquets and repast of devils which we do not only reject but expel at every turn But to say more concerning this were to light a candle to the Sun Julian the Emperour though no good friend to Christians yet thus far does them right that if they see any one mutinying against his Prince they presently punish him with great severities And here we may with just reason reflect upon the iniquity of the Church of Rome which in this instance of Religion has so abominably debauched the purity and simplicity of the Christian faith For they not only exempt the Clergy where they can from the authority and judgment of the secular powers whereby horrible enormities do arise but generally teach that a Prince once excommunicate his Subjects are absolv'd from all fealty and allegiance and he may with impunity be deposed or made away How shall such a Prince be thundred against with curses and deprivations every bold and treacherous Priest be authorized to brand his sacred person with the odious names of Infidel Heretick and Apostate and be Apostolically licensed to slander and belibel him and furnished with Commissions to free his Subjects from their duty and allegiance and to allure them to take up arms against him And if these courses fail and men still continue loyal they have disciples ready by secret or suddain arts to send him out of the world And if any man's conscience be so nice as to boggle at it his scruples shall be removed at worst it shall pass for a venial crime and the Pope perhaps with the help of a limitation that it be done for the interest of the Catholick cause by his omnipotence shall create it meritorious Cardinal Bellarmine whose wit and learning were imployed to uphold a tottering cause maintains it stiffly and in express terms that if a King be an Heretick or an Infidel and we know what they mean by that nay he particularly names the reformed Princes of England amongst his instances and seeks to draw his Dominions unto his Sect it is not only lawful but necessary to deprive him of his Kingdom And although he knew that the whole course of antiquity would fly in the face of so bold an assertion yet he goes on to assert that the reason why the Primitive Christians did not attempt this upon Nero Dioclesian Julian the Apostate and the like was not out of conscience or that they boggled out of a sense of duty but because they wanted means and power to effect it A bold piece of falshood this and how contrary to the plain and positive Laws of Christ to the meek and primitive spirit of the Gospel But by the Cardinals leave it could not be for want of power for if as Seneca observes he may be Master of any man's life that undervalues his own it was then as easie for a Christian to have slain Nero or Dioclesian as it was of later times for Gerard to pistol the Prince of Orange or Ravillac to stab the King of France Nay take one of his own instances Julian the Apostate a Prince bad enough and that left no method unattempted to seduce his Subjects to Paganism and Idolatry yet though the greatest part of his Army were Christians they never so much as whispered a treasonable design against him using no other arms as we noted out of Nazianzen but prayers and tears Had S. Paul been of their mind he would have told the Christian Romans quite another story and instead of bidding them be subject to Nero not only for wrath but for conscience sake would have instructed them to take all opportunities to have murdered or deposed him But I shall not reckon up the villanies they have been guilty of in this kind nor pursue the odious and pernicious consequences of their doctrine and practice thus much I could not but take notice of being so immediately opposite to the whole tenor of the Gospel and so great a scandal to Christianity And I verily believe that had the Primitive Christians been no better Subjects than their Emperours were Princes had they practised on them those bloody artifices which have been common amongst those that call themselves the only Catholicks that barbarous dealing would have been a greater curb to the flourishing of the Gospel than all the ten persecutions For how could an impartial Heathen ever have believed their doctrine to have been of God had their actions been so contrary to all principles of natural Divinity Sure I am Pagan Rome was in this case more Orthodox and their Pontifices far better Doctors of Divinity Their Lex Julia as Vlpian their great Lawyer tells us allotted the same penalty to sacriledge and treason placing the one the very next step to the other thereby teaching us that they looked upon treason against the Prince as an affront next to that which was immediately done against the Majesty of Heaven And Marcellus the great Statesman in Tacitus lays it down for a Maxim that Subjects may wish for good Princes but ought to bear with any And shame it is that any should call themselves Christians and yet be found worse than they their principles and practices more opposite to the known Laws of God and nature more destructive to the peace and welfare of mankind CHAP. V. Of their Penance and the Discipline of the Antient Church This why last treated of The Church as a Society founded by Christ has its distinct Laws and Priviledges What the usual offences that came under the Churches discipline All immorality open or confessed Lapsing into Idolatry the great sin of those times How many ways usually committed The Traditores who what their crime What penalties inflicted upon delinquent persons Delivering over to Satan what this extraordinary coercive power why vested in the Church The common and standing penalty by Excommunication This practised amongst the antient Gauls an account of it out of Caesar In use amongst the Jews Thence derived to the Christians This punishment how expressed by Church-writers Managed according to the nature of the fault The rigour of it sometimes mitigated Delinquent Clergy-men degraded and never admitted but to Lay-communion instances of it An account of the rise of Novatianism and the severity of its principles styl'd Cathari condemn'd by the Synod at Rome Offenders in what manner dealt with The Procedure of the action described by Tertullian Penitents how behaving themselves during their suspension The greatest not spar'd the case of Philippus and Theodosius This severity why used Penances called satisfactions and why The use of the word satisfaction in the antient Fathers Penitents how absolved After what time In the power of Bishops to extend or shorten these penitentiary humiliations Four particular cases observed wherein
the time of penance might be shortned In what sence communion is denied by some antient Canons to penitents at the hour of death This discipline administred primarily by Bishops By his leave Presbyters and in necessity Deacons might absolve The publick penitentiary when and why instituted when and why laid aside Penitents taken into communion by Martyrs and Confessors This power abused to excess Cyprian's complaint of the excessive numbers of Libells of peace granted by the Martyrs to the lapsed without the knowledge of the Bishop The form of these Pacifick Libells exemplified out of Cyprian other sorts of Libells The Libellatici who Thurificati Several sorts of Libellatici The Libellatici properly so called Their manner of address to the Heathen Magistrate to procure their exemption from sacrificing That they did not privately deny Christ proved against Baronius The piety and purity of the Primitive Church matter of just admiration HAving travelled through the several stages of the subject I had undertaken I should here have ended my journey but that there one thing remains which was not properly reducible under any particular head being of a general relation to the whole and that is to consider what Discipline was used towards offenders in the antient Church only premising this that the Christian Church being founded and established by Christ as a Society and Corporation distinct from that of the Common-wealth is by the very nature of its constitution besides what positive ground and warrant there may be for it in Scripture invested with an inherent power besides what is borrowed from the Civil Magistrate of censuring and punishing its members that offend against the Laws of it and this in order to the maintaining its peace and purity For without such a fundamental power as this 't is impossible that as a Society it should be able to subsist the very nature of a community necessarily implying such a right inherent in it Now for the better understanding what this power was and how exercised in the first Ages of the Church we shall consider these four things What were the usual crimes that came under the discipline of the antient Church what penalties were inflicted upon delinquent persons in what manner offenders were dealt with and by whom this discipline was administred First What the usual crimes and offences were which came under the discipline of the antient Church in the general they were any offences against the Christian Law any vice or immorality that was either publick in it self or made known and made good to the Church For the holy and good Christians of those times were infinitely careful to keep the honour of their Religion unspotted to stifle every sin in its birth and by bringing offenders to publick shame and penalty to keep them from propagating the malignant influence of a bad example For this reason they watched over one another told them privately of their faults and failures and when that would not do brought them before the cognizance of the Church 'T is needless to reckon up particular crimes when none were spar'd Only because in those days by reason of the violent heats of persecution the great temptation which the weaker and more unsettled Christians were exposed to was to deny their profession and to offer sacrifice to the Heathen-gods therefore lapsing into Idolatry was the most common sin that came before them and of this they had very frequent instances it being that which for some Ages mainly exercised the Discipline of the Church This sin of Idolatry or denying Christ in those times was usually committed these three ways Sometimes by exposing the Scriptures to the rage and malice of their enemies which was accounted a virtual renouncing Christianity This was especially remarkable under the Diocletian persecution in the African Churches For Diocletian had put forth an Edict that Christians should deliver up their Scriptures and the Writings of the Church to be burnt This command was prosecuted with great rigour and fierceness and many Christians to avoid the storm delivered up their Bibles to the scorn and fury of their enemies Hence they were styled Traditores of whom there is frequent mention in Optatus and S. Augustin with whom the Orthodox refusing to joyn after the persecution was over the difference broke out into Schism and faction and gave birth to that unhappy Sect of the Donatists which so much exercised the Christian Church Otherwhiles Christians became guilty of Idolatry by actual sacrificing or worshipping Idols these were called Thurificati from their burning incense upon the altars of the Heathen Deities and were the grossest and vilest sort of Idolaters Others again fell into this sin by basely corrupting the Heathen Magistrate and purchasing a warrant of security from him to exempt them from the penalty of the Law and the necessity of sacrificing and denying Christ These were called Libellatici of whom we shall speak more afterwards Secondly What penalties and punishments were inflicted upon delinquent persons and they could be no other than such as were agreeable to the nature and constitution of the Church which as it transacts only in spiritual matters so it could inflict no other than spiritual censures and chastisements 'T is true indeed that in the first Age especially the Apostles had a power to inflict bodily punishments upon offenders which they sometimes made use of upon great occasions as S. Peter did towards Ananias and Saphira striking them dead upon the place for their notorious couzenage and gross hypocrisie And S. Paul punished Elymas with blindness for his perverse and malicious opposition of the Gospel and this doubtless he primarily intends by his delivering over persons unto Satan for no sooner were they excommunicated and cut off from the body of the faithful but Satan as the common Serjeant and Jaylor seized upon them and either by actual possessing or some other sign upon their bodies made it appear that they were delivered over into his power This could not but strike a mighty terrour into men and make them stand in awe of the censures of the Church and questionless the main design of the divine providence in affording this extraordinary gift was to supply the defect of civil and coercive power of which the Church was then wholly destitute and therefore needed some more than ordinary assistance especially at its first constitution some visible and sensible punishments to keep its sentence and determinations from being sleighted by bold and contumacious offenders How long this miraculous power lasted in the Church I know not or whether at all beyond the Apostles age The common and standing penalty they made use of was Excommunication or suspension from communion with the Church the cutting off and casting out an offending person as a rotten and infected member till by repentance and wholesome discipline he was cured and restored and then he was re-admitted into Church-society and to a participation of the ordinances and priviledges of Christianity This way of punishing
more than ordinary rank and dignity or of a more tender and delicate Constitution Chrysostome determines that in chastising and punishing their offences they be dealt withal in a more peculiar manner than other men lest by holding them under over-rigorous penalties they should be tempted to fly out into despair and so throwing off the reins of modesty and the care of their own happiness and salvation should run headlong into all manner of vice and wickedness So wisely did the prudence and piety of those times deal with offenders neither letting the reins so loose as to patronize presumption or encourage any man to sin nor yet holding them so strait as to drive men into despair The fourth and last circumstance concerns the Persons by whom this discipline was administred now though 't is true that this affair was managed in the Publick Congregation and seldom or never done without the consent and approbation of the people as Cyprian more than once and again expresly tells us yet was it ever accounted a ministerial act and properly belonged to them Tertullian speaking of Church censures adds that the Elders that are approv'd and have attain'd that honour not by purchase but testimony preside therein and Firmilian Bishop of Caesarea Cappadocia in a Letter to S. Cyprian speaking of the Majores natu the Seniors that preside in the Church tells us that to them belongs the power of baptizing imposing hands viz. in penance and ordination By the Bishop it was primarily and usually administred the determining the time and manner of repentance and the conferring pardon upon the penitent sinner being acts of the highest power and jurisdiction and therefore reckoned to appertain to the highest order in the Church Therefore 't is provided by the Illiberine Council that penance shall be prescribed by none but the Bishop only in case of necessity such as sickness and danger of death by leave and command from the Bishop the Presbyter or Deacon might impose penance and absolve Accordingly we find Cyprian amongst other directions to his Clergy how to carry themselves towards the lapsed giving them this that if any were over-taken with sickness or present danger they should not stay for his coming but the sick person should make confession of his sins to the next Presbyter or if a Presbyter could not be met with to a Deacon that so laying hands upon him he might depart in the peace of the Church But though while the number of Christians was small and the bounds of particular Churches little Bishops were able to manage these and other parts of their office in their own persons yet soon after the task began to grow too great for them and therefore about the time of the Decian persecution when Christians were very much multiplyed and the number of the lapsed great it seem'd good to the prudence of the Church partly for the ease of the Bishop and partly to provide for the modesty of persons in being brought before the whole Church to confess every crime to appoint a publick penitentiary some holy grave and prudent Presbyter whose office it was to take the confession of those sins which persons had committed after baptism and by prayers fastings and other exercises of mortification to prepare them for absolution He was a kind of Censor morum to enquire into the lives of Christians to take an account of their failures and to direct and dispose them to repentance This Office continued for some hundreds of years till it was abrogated by Nectarius S. Chrysostomes predecessor in the See of Constantinople upon the occasion of a notorious scandal that arose about it A woman of good rank and quality had been with the Penitentiary and confessed all her sins committed since baptism he enjoyn'd her to give up her self to fasting and prayer but not long after she came to him and confessed that while she was conversant in the Church to attend upon those holy exercises she had been tempted to commit folly and leudness with a Deacon of the Church whereupon the Deacon was immediately cast out but the people being excedingly troubled at the scandal and the Holy Order hereby exposed to the scorn and derision of the Gentiles Nectarius by the advice of Eudaemon a Presbyter of that Church wholly took away the Office of the publick Penitentiary leaving every one to the care and liberty of his own conscience to prepare himself for the Holy Sacrament This account Socrates assures us he had from Eudaemon's own mouth and Sozomen adds that almost all Bishops follow'd Nectarius his example in abrogating this Office But besides the ordinary and standing office of the Clergy we find even some of the Laity the Martyrs and Confessors that had a considerable hand in absolving penitents and restoring them to the communion of the Church For the understanding of which we are to know that as the Christians of those times had a mighty reverence for Martyrs and Confessors as the great Champions of Religion so the Martyrs took upon them to dispense in extraordinary cases for it was very customary in times of persecution for those who through fear of suffering had lapsed into Idolatry to make their address to the Martyrs in prison and to beg peace of them that they might be restored to the Church who considering their petitions and weighing the circumstances of their case did frequently grant their requests mitigate their penance and by a note signed under their hands signifie what they had done to the Bishop who taking an account of their condition absolved and admitted them to communion Of these Libelli or Books granted by the Martyrs to the lapsed there is mention in Cyprian at every turn who complains they were come to that excessive number that thousands were granted almost every day this many of them took upon them to do with great smartness and authority and without that respect that was due to the Bishops as appears from the note written to Cyprian by Lucian in the name of the Confessors which because 't is but short and withall shews the form and manners of those pacifick Libells it may not be amiss to set it down and thus it runs All the Confessors to Cyprian the Bishop Greeting Know that we have granted peace to all those of whom you have had an account what they have done how they have behaved themselves since the commission of their crimes and we would that these presents should by you be imparted to the rest of the Bishops We wish you to maintain peace with the holy Martyrs Written by Lucian of the Clergy the Exorcist and Reader being present This was looked upon as very peremptory and magisterial and therefore of this confidence and presumption and carelesness in promiscuously granting these letters of peace Cyprian not without reason complains in an Epistle to the Clergy of Rome Besides these Libells granted by the Martyrs there
were other Libelli granted by Heathen-Magistrates of which it may not be impertinent to speak a little whence the lapsed that had had them were commonly called Libellatici and they were of several sorts some writing their names in Libellis in Books and professing themselves to worship Jupiter Mars and the rest of the Heathen Gods presented them to the Magistrate and these did really sacrifice and pollute not their souls only but their hands and their lips with unlawful sacrifices as the Clergy of Rome expresses it in a letter to S. Cyprian these were called Thurificati and Sacrificati from their having offered incense and sacrifices Somewhat of this nature was that Libell that Pliny speaks of in his Epistle to the Emperour Trajan presented to him while he was Proconsul of Bithynia containing a Catalogue of the names of many some whereof had been accused to be Christians and denied it others confessed they had been so some years since but had renounc'd it all of them adoring the Images of the gods and the Emperours Statue offering sacrifice and blaspheming Christ and were accordingly dismissed and released by him Others there were who did not themselves sign or present any such Libells but some Heathen-friends for them and sometimes out of kindness they were encouraged to it by the Magistrates themselves and were hereupon released out of prison and had the favour not to be urged to sacrifice Nay Dionysius of Alexandria speaks of some Masters who to escape themselves compelled their servants to do sacrifice for them to whom he appoints a three years penance for that sinful compliance and dissimulation A third sort there was who finding the edge and keenness of their Judges was to be taken off with a sum of money freely confessed to them that they were Christians and could not sacrifice pray'd them to give them a Libell of dismission for which they would give them a suitable reward These were most properly called Libellatici and Libellati Cyprian acquaints us with the manner of their address to the Heathen Magistrate bringing in such a person thus speaking for himself I had both read and learnt from the Sermons of the Bishop that the servant of God is not to sacrifice to Idols nor to worship Images wherefore that I might not do what was unlawful having an opportunity of getting a Libell offered which yet I would not have accepted had it not offered it self I went to the Magistrate or caused another to go in my name and tell him that I was a Christian and that it was not lawful for me to sacrifice nor to approach the altars of the Devils that therefore I would give him a reward to excuse me that I might not be urged to what was unlawful These though not altogether so bad as the Sacrificati yet Cyprian charges as guilty of implicit Idolatry having defiled their consciences with the purchase of these Books and done that by consent which others had actually done I know Baronius will needs have it and boasts that all that had written before him were mistaken in the case that these Libellatici were not exempted from denying Christ nor gave mony to that end that they only requested of the Magistrate that they might not be compelled to offer sacrifice that they were ready to deny Christ and were willing to give him a reward to dispence with them only so far and to furnish them with a Libell of security and that they did really deny him before they obtained their Libell But nothing can be more plain both from this and several other passages in Cyprian than that they did not either publickly or privately sacrifice to Idols or actually deny Christ and therefore bribed the Magistrate that they might not be forced to do what was unlawful And hence Cyprian argues them as guilty by their wills and consent and that they had implicitly denied Christ how by actually doing it No but by pretending they had done what others were really guilty of Certainly the Cardinals mistake arose from a not right understanding the several sorts of the Libellatici the first whereof of as we have shewn did actually sacrifice and deny Christ And now having taken this view of the severity of discipline in the antient Church nothing remains but to admire and imitate their piety and integrity their infinite hatred of sin their care and zeal to keep up that strictness and purity of manners that had rendred their Religion so renowned and triumphant in the world A discipline which how happy were it for the Christian world were it again resetled in its due power and vigour which particularly is the Judgment and desire of our own Church concerning the solemn Quadragesimal Penances and Humiliations In the Primitive Church say the Preface to the Commination there was a godly Discipline that at the beginning of Lent such persons as stood convicted of notorious sin were put to open penance and punished in this world that their souls might be saved in the day of the Lord and that others admonished by their example might be the more afraid to offend Which said Discipline it is much to be wished might be restored again FINIS A Chronological Index OF THE AUTHOURS Cited in this BOOK According to the Vulgar Computation with an account of the Editions of their Works Christian or Ecclesiastical Writers Flourish'd An. Dom. Books Editions ApostoloruÌ„ Canones   Par. 1618 ApostoloruÌ„ Constitutiones    Clemens Romanus 70 Epist ad Cor. Oxon. 1633 Dionysius Areopagita  Opera Antw. 1634 Ignatius Antiochenus 101 Epistolae Amster 1646   Append. Usher Lond. 1647 Polycarpus 130 Epistol apud Euseb Abdias Babylonius  Histor Apostol Par. 1566 Justinus Martyr 155 Opera Par. 1636 Smyrnensi Ecclesia 168 Epistol apud Euseb Melito Sardensis 170 Orat. Apolog. apud Euseb Athenagoras 170 Legat. pro Christ Par. 1636 Dionysius Corinth Episc 172 Epistolae apud Euseb Theophilus Antioch 180 Lib. 3. ad Autolyc Par. 1636 Tatianus 180 Orat. ad Graecos Ibid. Hegesippus 180 Commentar apud Euseb Irenaeus 184 adv Haereses Par. 1639 Polycrates Ephes Episc 197 Epistol apud Euseb Tertullianus 198 Opera Par. 1664 Clemens Alexandrinus 204 Opera Par. 1641 Minutius Foelix 230 Octavius Par. 1668 Origenes 230 Opera Lat. Par. 1522   Contr. Cels Cantab. 1658 Gregorius Neocaesar 250 Opera Mogun 1604 Cyprianus 250 Opera Par. 1668 Cornelius Papa 250 Epist apud Cypri 〈◊〉 250 Epist apud Cypri 〈◊〉 Diaconus 258 Vit. Cyprian apud Cypri Dionysius Alexandrinus 260 Epist apud Euseb Arnobius 297 adv Gentes Par. 1668 Lactantius 3â—0 Opera L. Bat. 1660 Commodianus 320 Instructiones Par. 1668 Constantinus M. 325 Orat. ad SS apud Euseb Eusebius Caesariensis 329 de praep Evang. Par. 1628 Eusebius Caesariensis 329 Histor Eccles Par. 1659 Eusebius Caesariensis 329 de locis Hebrai Par. 1631 Eusebius Caesariensis 329 Chronic. Amster 1658 Athanasius 350 Opera Heidel 1601 Julius Firmicus 350 de
of persecution for so we find in a Law of Constantine and Licinius where giving liberty of Religion to Christians and restoring them freely to the Churches which had been taken from them and disposed of by former Emperours they further add and because say they the same Christians had not only places wherein they were wont to assemble but are also known to have had other possessions which were not the propriety of any single person but belonged to the whole body and community all these by this Law we command to be immediately restored to those Christians to every Society and Community of them what belonged to them And in a rescript to Anulinus the Proconsul about the same matter they particularly specifie whether they be Gardens or Houses or whatever else belonged to the right and propriety of those Churches that with all speed they be universally restored to them the same which Maximinus also though no good friend to Christians yet either out of fear of Constantine or from the conviction of his conscience awakened by a terrible sickness had ordained for his parts of the Empire Afterwards Constantine set himself by all ways to advance the honour and interests of the Church out of the Tributes of every City which were yearly paid into his Exchequer he assigned a portion to the Church and Clergy of that place and setled it by a Law which excepting the short Reign of Julian who revoked it was as the Historian assures us in force in his time Where any of the Martyrs or Confessors had died without kindred or been banished their native Country and left no heirs behind them he ordained that their Estates and Inheritance should be given to the Church of that place and that whoever had seized upon them or had bought them of the Exchequer should restore them and refer themselves to him for what recompence should be made them He took away the restraint which former Emperours had laid upon the bounty of pious and charitable men and gave every man liberty to leave what he would to the Church he gave salaries out of the publick Corn which though taken away by Julian was restored by his Successor Jovianus and ratified as a perpetual donation by the Law of Valentinian and Marcianus After his time the Revenues of Churches encreased every day pious and devout persons thinking they could never enough testifie their piety to God by expressing their bounty and liberality to the Church I shall conclude this discourse by observing what respect and reverence they were wont in those days to shew in the Church as the solemn place of Worship and where God did more peculiarly manifest his presence and this certainly was very great They came into the Church as into the Palace of the great King as Chrysostom calls it with fear and trembling upon which account he there presses the highest modesty and gravity upon them before their going into the Church they used to wash at least their hands as Tertullian probably intimates and Chrysostom expresly tells us carrying themselves while there with the most profound silence and devotion nay so great was the reverence which they bore to the Church that the Emperours themselves who otherwise never went without their Guard about them yet when they came to go into the Church used to lay down their Arms to leave their Guard behind them and to put off their Crowns reckoning that the less ostentation they made of power and greatness there the more firmly the imperial Majesty would be entailed upon them as we find it in the Law of Theodosius and Valentinian inserted at large into the last edition of the Theodosian Code But of this we may probably speak more when we come to treat of the manner of their publick adoration CHAP. VII Of the Lords-Day and the Fasts and Festivals of the ancient Church Time as necessary to religious actions as Place Fixed times of Publick Worship observed by all Nations The Lords Day chiefly observed by Christians Stiled Sunday and why Peculiarly consecrated to the memory of Christs Resurrection All kneeling at prayer on this day forbidden and why Their publick Assemblies constantly held upon this day Forced to assemble before day in times of persecution thence jeered by the Heathens as Latebrosa Lucifugax Natio The Lords day ever kept as a day of rejoycing all fasting upon it forbidden The great care of Constantine and the first Christian Emperours for the honour and observance of this Day Their Laws to that purpose Their constant and conscientious attendance upon publick Worship on the Lords Day Canons of ancient Councils about absenting from publick Worship Sabbatum or Saturday kept in the East as a religious day with all the publick Solemnities of Divine Worship how it came to be so Otherwise in the Western Churches observed by them as a Fast and why This not universal S. Ambrose his practice at Milain and counsel to S. Augustine in the case Their solemn Fasts either Weekly or Annual Weekly on Wednesdays and Fridays held till three in the Afternoon Annual Fast that of Lent how ancient Vpon what account called Quadragesima Observed with great strictness The Hebdomada Magna or the Holy Week kept with singular austerity and the reason of it Festivals observed by the Primitive Christians That of Easter as ancient as the times of the Apostles An account of the famous Controversie between the eastern and Western Churches about the keeping of Easter The intemperate spirit of Pope Victor Irenaeus his moderate interposal The case sinally determined by the Council of Nice The Vigils of this Feast observed with great expressions of rejoycing The bounty of Christian Emperours upon Easter-day The Feast of Pentecost how ancient Why stiled Whitsunday Dominica in Albis why so called The whole space between Easter and Whitsuntide kept Festival The Acts of the Apostles why publickly read during that time The Feast of Epiphany anciently what Christmas-day the ancient observation of it Epiphany in a strict sense what and why so called The Memoriae Martyrum what When probably first begun The great reverence they had for Martyrs Their passions stiled their Birth-day and why These anniversary Solemnities kept at the Tombs of Martyrs Over these magnificent Churches erected afterwards What religious exercises performed at those meetings The first rise of Martyrologies Oblations for Martyrs how understood in the ancient Writers of the Church These Festivals kept with great rejoycing mutual love and charity their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or common Feasts Markets held for that purpose in those places The ill use which after-times made of these memorials TIme is a circumstance no less inseparable from religious actions than Place for man consisting of a soul and body cannot always be actually engaged in the service of God that 's the priviledge of Angels and souls freed from the fetters of mortality so long as
up the blood and ravenously tear off and snatch away the several parts of it and with this sacrifice their confederacy and combination is made and by the conscience of so great a villany they are mutually obliged to silence Such sacred rites as these being more horrid and barbarous than the highest sacriledges in the world To this monstrous and horrid charge the Christians returned these answers That they appeal'd to the common Faith of mankind whether they could really believe them to be guilty of these things so abhorrent to all the principles of Humane Nature and to the Christians known Principles and practices in all other things that they should measure the Christians by themselves and if they themselves could not be guilty of such things they should not suspect it by the Christians who were endued with the same Principles of humanity with other men that they were so far from being friends to murder or man-slaughter that they held it unlawful to be present at the Gladiatory sports where mens lives were so want only sacrificed to the pleasure and curiosity of the people that they accounted it murder for any woman by evil arts to procure abortion to stifle the embryo to kill a child in a manner before it be alive it being much at one to hinder life as to take it away to kill a man or destroy what would be one seeing he truly destroys the fruit that kills it in the seed that it was not likely they should delight in mans blood who never tasted any blood at all abstaining from things strangled and from blood And that the very Heathens themselves confessed this when amongst the several arts they used to discover whether men were Christians they used to offer them bladders full of blood knowing that they held it unlawful to taste any and therefore it was mightily improbable they should thirst after humane blood who abhorred even the blood of beasts That they heartily believed the Resurrection of the dead and therefore would not make themselves the Sepulchers of those bodies which were to rise again and feed upon them as they did upon other bodies which were to have no resurrection that the truth was if this charge was true of any it was true only of the Gentiles themselves amongst whom these things were daily allowed and practised That Saturn one of their chief deities did not only expose but eat his own children to him infants in Africk were offered in sacrifice by their own parents a custome that openly continued till the Proconsul-ship of Tiberius which though he abolished it yet it continued still in corners in Tertullians days To his Son Jupiter they offered humane sacrifices even in Rome it self and that even to the time of M. Foelix as he himself testifies which is no more than what Porphyry himself after he had reckoned up in how many parts of the world Humane sacrifices were in use confesses was done at Rome in the Feast of Jupiter Latialis even in his time Many other instances of such barbarous practices are there produced by those two Apologists which they urge with great advantage upon their adversaries whom they challenged to make any such thing good against them And no sooner did discipline begin to be regularly setled but their principles herein were every where confirmed by the Canons of the Church either private or publick the woman that industriously made her self miscarry was adjudged to be guilty of murder and condemn'd to the same punishment a ten years penance which was adjudg'd to be the case of any that brought forth upon the way and exposed her Infant By the law of the State made by the Emperour Valentinian whosoever whether man or woman kill'd an Infant was to be subject to the same capital punishment as if he had kill'd an adult person which may very well be understood even of Infants kill'd in the womb the punishment whereof was formerly for the most part no more than banishment He that was guilty of wilful murder was by S. Basil's rule to undergo a twenty years penance before he was admitted to the Sacrament though by several passages in Tertullian it appears that Homicides in his time were more severely treated by the Church for they were not only bound to a perpetual penance but were not absolv'd at death But this severity shortly after began to relax and such persons though obliged to acts of repentance all their life yet at death were absolved and admitted to Communion as is expresly provided by the decree of the Ancyran Council Thus clear did the Christians all along stand from any just suspicion of that gross piece of inhumanity which their enemies so confidently charged upon them As for the rise and occasion of this malicious charge it was doubtless of the same growth with that of their incestuous mixtures spoken of before both springing from the abominable practices of some filthy Hereticks who sheltred themselves under the name of Christians Epiphanius particularly reporting of the Gnosticks what the Heathens generally charged upon the Christians for he tells us of them that at their meetings they were wont to take an Infant begotten in their promiscuous mixtures and beating it in a mortar to season it with honey and pepper and some other spices and perfumes to make it palatable and then like swine or dogs to devour it and then to conclude all with prayer and this they accounted their perfect pass-over I am not ignorant that a learned man will by no means believe that any of the ancient Hereticks did ever arrive to so much barbarousness and immanity as to be guilty of such things and conceives them to have been feigned meerly out of hatred to those pestilent hereticks but there 's little reason to suspect the truth of it Epiphanius assuring us that he had the account that he gives from the mouths of the Gnosticks themselves and that many of the women who were deceiv'd into those abominable errours did not only discover these things to him but that he himself in his younger years while he was in Egypt had been assaulted by them and by all the arts of flattery and perswasion of wantonness and immdesty had been set upon to joyn himself to them And certainly 't is not imaginable that a person so venerable for learning and piety as Epiphanius was should impose upon us by feigning so gross and notorious a falshood Besides whoever reads Irenaeus in whose time these heresies were most riâ—e and predominant and considers the account that he gives of them which he mainly received from persons of their own party after they were returned back to the Church will see little reason either to think any wickedness too great for them to boggle at or to doubt of the truth of what he reports concerning them CHAP. II. Of their admirable Love and Charity The excellent temper of the