II. DISSERTATION CONCERNING THE ANTIQUITY OF CHURCHES Wherein is shewn That the CHRISTIANS In the Two First CENTURIES Had no such Publick Separate Places for Worship as the Papists generally and some Protestants also Presume and Plead for LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel 1698. NOBILISSIMO DOMINO D o. ROBERTO SOUTHWEL Equiti aurato Summis virtutibus perinde ac eruditione ornatissimo Longo rerum usu Prudentia civili celeberrimo Magnis merito Officiis Honoribus decorato Sub Carolo II. Ad Aulam Portugalliae semel atque iterum Ad Bruxellensem quoque Brandeburgicam Legato Necnon Sanctiori Concilio a Secretis Gulielmo III. In Regno Hiberniae ab Epistolis Itemque Regalis Societatis Praesidi Hanc qualemcunque Dissertationem Quam humillime D. D. C. JOSEPHUS HILL THE CONTENTS SECT 1. THE Question stated SECT 2. The first Argument that the Apostles and Primitive Christians had no Publick separate Places for Worship taken from their Persecution vindicated and inforced SECT 3. A second Argument from the defect of Proof for Churches so early SECT 4. Our Adversaries Proofs from Scripture Considered and Answered SECT 5. What kind of Places were used for Worship SECT 6. Testimonies for our Opponents in the first Century answered SECT 7. Testimonies in second Century answered SECT 8. As also in the third Century SECT 9. Their Reasons answered and of Churches standing and worshipping towards the East SECT 10. Several Considerations for corroborating our Assertion SECT 11. Testimonies of the Persecution of Christians and how continued in the first Ages SECT 12. Concerning the number of Martyrs SECT 13. Testimonies that the Christians had no Churches in the two first Centuries SECT 14. And that they assembled frequently in the Night and always in the most Private Places during their Persecution under the Heathens DISSERTATION II. Of the Antiquity of Artificial Churches under the Gospel SECTION I. HAVING Discoursed in a former Dissertation Of the Antiquity of Temples in the times of the Old Testament I proceed in this with the Consideration Of the Antiquity of Churches in Gospel times under the New Wherein the common Opinion of Protestants is maintained not only against Bellarmine and Baronius but some Protestants also as Fuller in his Miscellanea Sac. l. 2. c. 9. who undertakes to prove that Christians had their Churches or Temples built even in the days of the Apostles And more especially Mede who hath largely handled this Subject in 's Treatise Of Appropriate Places for Christian Worship both in and ever since the Apostles time Both these state and maintain the Question as they do and light their Candles at their Torches In this Controversie our Adversaries take the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render when taken for a Religious Assembly by the word Church from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence the Saxon Cyric and the German Kyrk and we by adding a double Aspiration Chyrch or Church as it was in after Ages not in the beginning taken for a Publick Place for Worship Concerning which here let me premise That although we have no particular command for building of Churches as of Old for the Tabernacle which was a moveable Temple or the Temples which were standing Tabernacles their Names being frequently interchanged nor do they recommend our Services to God as those that were Typical of our Saviour did Yet are Edifices very convenient for the Worshippers and are so far necessary for the advancing Gods Service as appears by the Light of Nature and the use of Synagogues amongst the Jews That by such Structures we are better defended against the injuries of Wind and Weather as also the Voice of the Minister is in them more Audible than in the open Air and that thereby we have greater conveniency of excluding such as ought not to Communicate with us Besides that after the spreading of the Gospel they were more necessary for the containing a greater number of Christians than could meet together in private Houses or Places which occasioned afterwards as liberty was granted or encouragement given by Christian Magistrates the building of Oratories and Churches So that tho we grant the Primitive Christians had always Places for Publick Worship yet we deny they built any Edifices publickly for the exercise of their Religion or had any such appropriate places as our Opponents call Temples or Churches but worshipp'd God in such numbers as could conveniently meet together only in private Houses or such places as were obscure for above 200 Years after our Blessed Saviour's Ascension Altho in the Third Century they had some Oratories or Conventicles here and there even in the Roman Empire as well as in Persia and other Nations where the Gospel was spread For Arnobius who flourished about 285 mentions l. 4. the Christian Conventicles And Lactantius his Schollar Justit l. 5. c. 2. a Temple destroyed in Bithynia Who being Schoolmaster to Crispus the Son of Constantine it 's probable the publick Places granted the Christians by Galienus were then enlarged which were before called Conventicles as he saith One in Phrygia set a Conventicle on Fire and burnt all assembled therein cap. 11. SECT 2. The Reasons for this our Assertion are 1. The great Persecutions the Christians lived under for the most part all that time Which is so apparent from all Histories Sacred and Civil that I wonder Fuller should say That Persecutions in the beginning were more rare and for the most part private Both which are notoriously false as appears from the Acts. For no sooner had the Apostles begun to preach the Gospel c. 2. 3. but they were by the Rulers imprisoned beaten and charged to desist c. 4 5. Stephen taken and stoned c. 6 7. And thereupon the Church of Jerusalem by a great Persecution scattered c. 8. 11. v. 19. After we have Herods persecuting the Christians killing James and imprisoning Peter with intention to put him to Death c. 12. The Rulers persecute Paul and Barnabas at Antioch c. 13. and at Iconium and at Lystra Paul is stoned c. 14. He and Silas whip'd and imprison'd by the Roman Magistrates c. 16. Persecuted at Thessalonica c. 17. A Tumult against Paul c. c. 19. He saith bonds and afflictions wait for him in every City and that grievous Wolves should enter among them not sparing the Flock c. 20. And what Persecutions he suffered at Jerusalem not only from the Rabble but the Chief both of the Jews and Romans may be seen in the following Chapters Most of his Epistles were written in Bonds And it s generally said that he suffered at Rome under Nero as Peter many say did also And St. John's Banishment into the Isle of Patmos is certain as 't is said by the Emperour Domitian And Hospinian hath observed that from the Apostles time till Bishop Sylvester and the Emperour Constantine's for above 300 Years not one of all those 30 Bishops of Rome
but suffer'd Martyrdom But Fuller adds that the same publick calamities were usually common to the Jews with the Christians and therefore if they kept their Synagogues why might not these their Churches Mede also urgeth this of the Jewish Synagogues because the Jews Religion was no more the Empires than the Christians Both which we deny for the Jews were the Persecutors and the Christians the Persecuted they usually stirring up and incensing the Gentiles against these as the Acts of the Apostles testifie and St. Paul 1 Thes 2.14 15 16. Nor had the Christians then any Churches as the Jews had Synagogues tho they had in some Cities separate Meetings Of the Jewish Synagogues we read in Scripture but neither Scripture nor History mentions any publick Churches for 200 Years And afterwards when they had some Oratories we read of courses taken for demolishing them but not much less at the same time of the Jewish Synagogues These having been long before publickly tollerated in many Places to the Jews where they resided And they having now renounced Christ the Devil and Heathen Emperours had no cause to disquiet them but made use of them in opposing Christianity As Julian we know employ'd them for building again their Temple at Jerusalem to despite the Christians And no Religion is more hated of a Natural Man than the True all others being prefer'd before this Mr. Mede in answering the Objections against his Opinion endeavours to enervate this of Persecution two ways 1. By asserting that the greatest Persecutions as the five last of the Ten fell out in the Third Century wherein 't is granted the Christians had some Oratories and therefore why not in the two former seeing their Persecutions were not continual nor of long duration But tho we grant in regard of the abundance of Bloud-shed the last were the cruellest yet was there always such as hindred both the erecting and appropriating Churches and publickly assembling the Laws and Emperors being their Enemies contenting themselves to meet as they could with the most safety in secret And tho their Persecution was not constant yet were they constantly liable thereunto as the Apostle tells us Rom. 8.36 For thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as Sheep for the Slaughter Histories also shew us their Sufferings were more continual and less interrupted in the two first than third Century Wherein after a sore Storm under Valerian they enjoy'd a comfortable calm under his Son Galienus who restored to them their Cemeteries and all other places of Worship which was such a favour or Tolleration as we read not of in the two first Ages 2. Mr. Mede argues from the credibility of the Christians having Oratories in the Roman Empire as well as in the Persian Which we deny for 't is the Roman Empire only that is represented under the Shape of a Red Dragon with 7 Heads and 10 Horns making War with the Saints of God Nor are we now dealing with a matter of Opinion or Credibility but matter of Fact and History which ascertains the Persecution under the Roman Emperors for 300 years but mentions little or none at all under the Persian Monarchs during that time tho afterwards as Sozomen l. 2. c. 8. relates by Saporez which was long before Isdigerdis who was Contemporary with Theodosius Nor doth the Churches of Persia prejudice our Opinion seeing they were but by Mr. Mede's acknowledgment in Constantine's time Before which there were some Churches in the Roman Empire For Dioclesian his Predecessor made an Edict for the demolishing them Having thus vindicated our Argument from several Attacks We may further enforce it both by the experience of former Ages and also our own The Israelites in Egypt tho they dwelt together a long time at least yet we read not of any Temples they built there And when they were in Captivity in Babylon tho we read of their building Houses Jer. 29. yet nothing of Synagogues Pass on from the Heathenish to the Popish Persecutions former and latter Where at this day in Italy France Spain and Portugal are any Churches built or Publick Meeting-Places for Protestants Nay even the Lutherans will not allow the publick exercise of the Reformed Religion The Story of the German Church under Johannes a Lasco who fled from London to avoid the Persecution under Queen Mary to the Lutherans and how barbarously treated is well known and lamentable to consider And the same spirit continues so that the Dutch Church at Hamburg go to Altena and the English are confin'd to their own House Sweden is expelling them and several Princes persecuting them Nor need we go so far the experience of these Three Kingdoms is sufficient Where altho the Persecution of the Nonconformists was not from the Heathens as the Primitive Christians Nor from Papists as the Waldenses of old and all Dissenters from them generally ever since Or any Protestants of a different Denomination nor to death but only Fines or Imprisonments c. Yet who went about to build any publick Places for Worship or had such till a Tolleration was granted them Who can imagine any so mad as to build or buy publick Places where their Enemies are Rulers and having all Civil Power in their hands would not only shut them up or demolish them but also severely punish such presumption SECT 3. Our 2d Argument is from the defect of sufficient Testimonies from Scripture of the Christians having any publick appropriate places in the Apostles time or from authentick Authors of any such the two first Centuries Nor let any think it sufficient to say that Argumentum ab autoritate non valet negative an Argument from authority negatively is of no force For in Religion Scripture so argues not only in matter of our duty because never commanded but also in matter of History as Hebr. 7.14 Our Lord sprang out of Juda of which Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning Priesthood Whence by the way we may gather that our Saviour never went further into the Temple not being a Priest of the Tribe of Levi than the Outward Court And in matters of Fact so many Hundred Years ago this way of arguing is generally used and received As Baronius useth it in a like case A. D. 48. and others also frequently For how should we know what was done so long since but by History Now in all the diligent searchers into Antiquity as Eusebius Hierom Clemens Alexandrinus and other Ancient Fathers and Authors we find no footsteps of any publick Churches the two first Centuries but many against them For the Scriptures whosoever reads the Apostles Acts which contain their History about 32 Years will find the Church assemblies still in private Houses as c. 12. v. 12. so c. 20. v. 8. and to the very last c. 28. v. 29 30. so also in their Epistles And the all places were indifferent to them in respect of holiness yet not of conveniency so that according thereto no doubt they
comfortable calm Aurelian's Edict made for Persecution being never signed by him God having terrified him with Lightning as Eutropius and Vopiscus affirm and so stopt his wicked Tyranny But alas instead of being better'd they extreamly degenerated So that Eusebius saith God sent that direful storm of Persecution on them under Dioclesian for the corruptness of their lives and manners Maximè vero Ecclesiasticorum in quorum vultu simulationem in corde dolum verbis fallaciam cernere licuit livore superbia inimicitiis inter se certantes tyrannidem potius quam sacerdotium sapere videbantur Christianae pietatis omnino obliti divina mysteria profanabant potius quam celebrabant Which I forbear to English Those that please may read more in Fox's Martyrology in the 9th Primitive Persecution tho he misreckon it there having been no general Persecution in Aurelian's Reign who as he himself saith rather intended than moved Persecution But for their wickedness followed the 10th When their Churches were demolished their Bibles burnt their Persons punished with all kinds of cruelty neither Courtiers nor Friends not the Empress Prisca nor Daughter Valeria spared his Decree was aut Deos Gentilium aut mortem eligerent That the Christians should choose either the Heathen Gods or Death Of this Tenth and greatest Persecution Eusebius in his 8th Book of History Lactantius de mortibus Persecutorum from 7 to 49 Chap. with the Notes in Latin of 1693 which are 10 times larger than the Text. And Fox in his first book of Martyrology from Eusebius and several others have written largely which I shall not transcribe but dismiss with this short remark That of all the 10 general Persecutions this last which was the forest and continued above Ten Years only reached England wherein Albanus first and very many after sealed their Faith in Christ with their blood so that Christianity was almost with the Scriptures and Churches destroyed throughout the whole Kingdom tho shortly after revived by the blessed Constantine Having now examined all our Adversaries Witnesses we leave the Impartial Reader to judge of their validity and whether they prove the Christians to have had any publick appropriate places for Worship in the two first Centuries Which tho undoubtedly most sit and convenient always yet in times of Persecution men must do as they may and meet as secretly as they can and be constrained often to change their meeting places and when private Houses will not serve for secresie to seek out Vaults under ground where they may worship God And yet not even in the most secret and retired places without fear of their enemies and danger of their lives which shews our happiness in this regard above theirs who were much better than we There is but one scruple that I can imagine remaining and that is tho these places were private yet they might be as Mede terms them appropriate To which I answer that his first Argument for his Opinion which immediatly follows from their worshipping towards the East implies that he takes them for Publick and purposely built accordingly for that end And 2 who ever diligently peruses his Treatise will see that he founds their appropriation as also their holiness of which in the next Dissertation on their Consecration or as he sometimes calls it Dedication Now if we consider when this begun Platina in vitis Pontif. tells us That Telesphorus having suffer'd Martyrdom in the first year of Antomus Pius which was about the year of our Lord 142. Hyginus an Athenian succeeded him Who ordained these two things First the use of those Witnesses we commonly call Godfathers and Godmothers in the Administration of the Sacrament of Baptism Which was then I confess more necessary by reason the generallity of those amongst whom the Christians lived were Heathens And therefore in case the Parents on whom it is incumbent to see thei Children educated in the Christian Religion came to die they that were Sponsors might take care to see them brought up therein Which Institution as likewise Confirmation is now degenerated into a meer Formality few regarding their solemn Engagements made for that end And 2. he ordained also Templorum consecrationes the Consecration of Temples that or Churches being the usual Names given to all places for Gods Worship in after Ages So that Consecration being but introduced in the second Century if Mede takes it in the usual sense his Opinion that There were appropriate Places for Christian Worship both in the Apostles days and ever since falls to the Ground except it can be proved that some of them at least lived so long But if he takes it for a private House or some room therein where the Church met together as he seems in the beginning and by the expressions of the Church in their House then whensoever any Owners thereof gave leave for the Christians to assemble therein their permission was a Consecration thereof whereby they appropriated the same to the Churches use and so according to his Tenets employed them no more for their own Civil use being appropriate to a Sacred Or else some pious Christians gave their Houses as he thinks and dedicated them to the Church for a Meeting Place by which Dedication it was appropriated But neither of these can be reasonably imagined Considering 1. That we read of several that sold their Possessions for the Maintenance of the Poor but we read of none that gave their Houses to the Church for meeting in 2. The multitude of Christians increasing many Houses were requisite to contain them as we have formerly observed 3. How often in those bloody Persecutious they were forced to shift their Meeting-Places to shun the loss of their Estates Liberties and Lives we may easily conclude And lastly Had any either granted or given any House or certain place for such an use as therein constantly to assemble they had thereby without all doubt been quickly discovered certainly dispersed and often times most severely punish'd So that tho we are not to question the readiness of many that were able nor their pious liberality so we must also consider their Prudence the times wherein they lived and what was most conducible to their preservation that they might not run themselves on the rocks of destruction SECT 9. Our Opponents besides the Authorities mentioned produce several Arguments for their Opinion whereof 3 are made use of by Mede which we shall now consider First It 's certain saith he That in their Sacred Assemblies Christians used then to Worship and Pray towards the East Which how it could be done with any order and conveniency is not easie to be conceived unless we suppose the places wherein they worshipped to have been situated and accommodated accordingly that is chosen and appointed to that end This he had touched on before from Tertullian in the beginning of the 3d Century for which no authority is vouched but that only of the forged Apstolical Constitutions falsly ascribed to Clemens Here
will learn any thing let them ask their Husbands at home for it is a shame for Women to speak in the Church Where we see a plain opposition between the Church and their own Home which yet cannot be understood of the Church as a Place The Case being clear that it was not unlawful for Women to speak in such a Place simply but only at such a time when the Congregation was at Divine Worship otherwise it would be unlawful for any Woman before or after Publick Worship to speak in the place Nor was it sinful surely for Women to speak at their Love-Feasts tho in the Church Besides 't is said your Women in the Churches which implies there were more than one Congregation in the Church of Corinth I shall not stand to alledge Commentaries on 1 Cor. 11.22 as Cajetan who is absolutely for the Congregation and Aquinas and Carthusian as also Dr. Pearson on the Creed p. 337. say it may as well be so understood as of the place But further prove the Truth 3. By the Argument which the Apostle draws from the holiness of the Meeting and not from the holiness of the Place to take the Corinthians off from their Dissentions v. 18. for in every Meeting Dissentions are to be avoided but in a holy Meeting ordained for Religion they ought to be detested And so from Intemperance v. 20 21. shewing unity in the Truth of Doctrine and unanimity in affections are necessary for the right receiving the Lords Supper in the following Verses And I would further argue with mine Opponents suppose their meeting had been on some Mountain or in some Cave which was not unusual and the faults here mentioned had been committed should they not have been liable to the same censure of despising the Church of God But 4. Should we grant the opposition they make between the Church and their own Houses yet will not this serve to overthrow our Opinion or establish their own except they can further prove this Church or Place to have been publick and not in a private House like unto others mentioned throughout the Acts. Mr. Mede carries this 22d verse for a reproof of the Corinthians for using profane Banquetings and Feastings in a sacred place to introduce his Opinion of the holiness of Churches as Bellarmine c. 5. de cultu sanct saith Satis innâ—itâ—r tunc etiam Ecclesiam aliquo modo sacratam fuisse hence 't is sufficiently gathered that even then the Church was some manner of way holy which he saith was for consecration But Mede runs against the stream of Interpreters who expound it of their Love-Feasts Neither doth the Apostle reprove them for any such thing but for their schismatical unbrotherly and intemperate Carriage therein These Love-Feasts a Lapide as Austin Aquinas Cajet an and others think preceeded and Justinian as Chrysostom and divers others that they followed after the Communion The Opinions of the Ancients concerning their order are cited by these two Learned Jesuites upon the place where they may be seen and the manner of them in Kerchers Roma Subterranea l. 6. c. 27. As far as my reading reaches tho these Love-Feasts sometimes were before as in the Church of Alexandria as Sozomen saith l. 7. c. 19. and some others Yet more usually they followed after the Sacrament However we have multiplicity of Testimonies in the Writings of the Ancients for them at the Communion in the Primitive Church and none I can find amongst them for Mr. Mede's Opinion except Sedulius nor amongst the Modern but Salmeroni and these quite contrary to the genius of the Text. But he proceeds to tell us that as most of the Words signifying an Assembly or Company are wont to be used also for the place so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which we deny not in common Speech but then the expression is not proper but figurative continens pro contentis the Place containing for the Persons contained He cites St. Austin taking the Church here for the place of Meeting It 's true he does so on Leviticus l. 3. c. 57. to which Bede on the Text refers but only for the time wherein the Congregation met Ecclesia dicitur locus quo Ecclesia congregatur And it is apparent that the faults mentioned by the Apostle are such only as were committed at the time of their assembling for the Worship of God Nor doth Austin appropriate it to a Place civil or artificial as our Opponents do not considering such abuses have their course in their Meetings in what place soever natural or civil The next Author he produceth is Basil who pleads for the Holiness of Churches of which hereafter Commentators follow The Author of the Comments on the Epistles falsly ascribed to Hierom a Pelagian seems to deliver the Opinion of others rather than his own saying Quidam hunc locum ad illos referunt qui Epulas in Ecclesia faciebant facientes eam trielinium Epularum And Sedusius whom the former Author seems to point at is of that Opinion thinking it unlawful to keep their Feasts in the Church Wherein he is singular and contrary to the Apostle who rectifies the abuse only by admonishing them to stay one for another and make their poor Brethren partakers with them of their Viands Furthermore even those that take the Church for a holy Place and cite this as Sir H. Spelman and several others of the Corinthians making the Church trielinium Epularum make it only a private Room for trielinium was never taken for a House much less a publick one To which may be added the practice in after Ages in St. Austin's time when the Christians kept their Love-Feasts in memoriis Martyrum or in their Churches as appears by his Answer to Faustus the Maniche l. 10. c. 20 21. at large As for Chrysostom Theodoret Theophilact and Cecumenius tho they take the Church for a Place yet none of them as Mede that the Corinthiaws fault was in keeping there profane Banquetings Nor otherwise than in reference to the very time only of their meeting therein And whereas Chrysostom says the Church as well as the Poor were wronged he cannot I suppose mean it of the Place for Time and Place cannot be said to be despised or dishonoured but by an extrinsecal denomination when God is dishonoured or our Brethren by our unchristian behaviour in the place As here the latter member being joyn'd thereto by a copulative may fairly expound the former as usually viz. in shaming them that have not you despise the Church as Cajetan and Piscator expound it So that tho the Grammatical opposition be between two places yet the Logical and Theological is between a place of many present therein and a private place From these Testimonies Mede concludes there were places appointed and set apart for Christian Worship even in the Apostles times But tho no Man doubts that believes the Gospel that the Christians had places for Worship yet it follows not thence
that they were set apart from all other uses for Christian Worship Neither doth he or any other Opponent prove this Places of meeting the Ancients suppose but separate Places they suppose not It was 200 Years and more e'er they had Publick Oratories And when the Heathen objected they had no Temples Altars nor Images they freely confess as much Having vindicated this Text in the Corinths we shall briefly mention some others alledged for separate and publick Churches Tho some are so far-fetch'd they deserve not mentioning As Mr. Fuller from 1 Cor. 14.40 That all things be done decently and in order inferring that publick Offices be done in publick Places as much as may be And what I pray is more publick than the open Air Mountains and Fields where our Saviour instructed his Followers Likewise from Acts 19.9 Paul separated the Disciples disputing daily in the School of one Tyrannus As if this School was one of the Temples of Christians which he confesseth was but borrowed or hired for the urgent necessity His next place is Acts 15.21 whence he argues the Israelites from the beginning of their Commonwealth had Synagogues so the Christians from the day of Pentecost Churches But that is very dubious for tho I judge Synagogues much Ancienter than till after the Captivity whence many Learned Men date them yet that they were so Ancient as he makes them cannot be proved Nor will Ps 74.8 serve admitting various Translations The 70 They have put down the Feasts Hierome Tabernacula Montanus Conventicula Junius Synagogas which denotes all kinds of Assemblies Civil and Ecclesiastical in their places as Gerhard de Eccles c. 1. § 4. shews at large Nor that of Ps 83.12 of which Sir H. Spelman hath a Discourse at the end of his Tract de non temerandis Ecclesiis And who sees not a vast difference the Israelites were a free State of themselves and had Governours Civil and Ecclesiastical supream and subordinate in the Land of Canaan of their own Whereas the condition of Christians was quite otherwise till Constantine's time as all know His last Scripture is James 2.2 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synagogue is much more pregnant to denote a Place than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church for of above 100 Texts where this is used no one except that in 1 Cor. 11.22 is with any colour alledged for a Place whereas Synagogue is frequently so taken both in the 70 and in the New Testament when applied to the Jews as Acts 13.14 14.1 c. tho sometimes for an Assembly and most usually so when applied to Christians As the Syriac here renders it and Beza coetum the vulgar Latine which some say is the Vetus Italica and make great account of it as our Bishop Andrews c. conventum as our last Version Assembly and the former company declining the Word Synagogue for no other reason that I can conceive but because they judged that Christians had no separate Places in those days as the Jews had James we know wrote to the Twelve Tribes dispersed with whom the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was in use as Hellenistical so that after they became Christians they might well call their Metting of what condition soever it were by that name For the Word signifies all kinds of Assemblies Civil and Sacred as Dr. Hammond shews on Matth. 6.2 from many Texts and here in James Consistories for Judicature by 5 reasons And the Apostles having used the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church to distinguish the Christians meetings from the Jewish and as more proper c. which Gerhard in the Chap. above cited notes the Name of Synagogue was soon given over among Christians and such places called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but whether before they became separate places or after and about what time such were built for Prayer is the question SECT 5. Mr. Mede from Scripture proceeds to enquire what manner of Places these appropriate were before he produceth the testimonies of Antiquity for such Where first he acknowledges as Baronius had before him that they were not so goodly and stately as after the Empire became Christian and we now enjoy But some capable and convenient room within the Walls or Dwelling of some pious Disciple dedicated by him to the use of the Church usually an Upper-Room such as that called Caenaculum Sionis where the Apostles and Disciples after our Saviour's Ascension usually assembled and the Holy Ghost fell upon them on the day of Pentecost Concerning which place he brings a long Train of Traditions from Nicephorus a most fabulous Author in the judgment of all Learned Men not worthy to be mentioned Here let me observe the Difference amongst our Opponents 1. As to the Place Bellarmine and Baronius as also our Fuller conclude from that Text in the Corinths for appropriate Houses or Churches but Mede only for one Room usually an upper in an House 2. Bellarmine would have these Houses to be holy Temples from the Christian Sacrifices therein meaning the Mass which he thinks is alone sufficient for the denomination of a Temple For c. 4. de cultu sanctorum he saith Templum nihil aliud est quam locus Altaris A Temple is no other thing than the place of an Altar called also basilica saith he as erected at some Saints Sepulcher Baronius and Fuller content themselves with the distinction of Oratories which tho poor and mean amongst Christians in comparison of the Heathens Temples yet were those Temples as well as these But Mede will have his rooms by reason of the Owners Dedication to be Oratories and Churches Tho Justinian distinguishes these on 1 Cor. 11. saying Christians had their meetings first in private Houses afterwards in Oratories and Churches And whereas Mr. Mede discourseth of a room and House in the singular number as best suiting his Opinion of appropriate places even in the Apostles days meaning without doubt wheresoever there was a Church as he instanceth in the coenaculum Sionis in Jerusalem All this is nothing better than building upon the Sand. For considering the several circumstances in Acts c. 1. 2. its far more probable that that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or upper Room was in the Temple than any private House As appears from several Authors and Arguments gathered together in Pool's Synopsis on Acts 1 13. to which I refer being unwilling to transcribe such Authors as are common and easily come at Then what room could contain such numbers as 3000 Acts 2.41 which soon increased as some think to 5000 or more probably as others gather from the Text Acts 4.4 were so many more The ingenious Potter on 666. ch 36. from the multitude of Believers in Jerusalem computes that each of the Twelve Apostles might have about 500 under his care Besides the Gift of so many Tongues implies their several meetings accordingly for we must not fancy as Salmasius and some others that
and therefore very unlikely this should be spared But if any have so strong a Faith to believe what is reported of this great Wonder-worker Gregory he may possibly think that he had sufficient power to restrain Dioclesian's Agents and defend the Church he built For Baronius at the Year 253. num 135 136 137. relates what power he had over Devils to cast them out of their Temples and drive them out of any place whither he pleased and restore them also at his pleasure which he did to shew his power to one in writing under his hand saith Baronius in these words Gregorius Satanae ingredere Gregory to Satan enter in that was into his Temple again And Bellarmine relates another Miracle of him upon this very Argument c. 4. de cultu Sanct. saying That when he would have built a Church and wanted room by reason of a Rock that border'd on the place where he would build it he by his prayers removed it away Mr Mede was wiser than to mention this for Gregory's building of Churches And indeed none can imagine how much prejudice such fabulous Miracles and lying Legends decryed and detested even by many sober and Learned Papists hath done to Christianity Let but any one read a Pamphlet Printed this very Year of a Conference between a Jew and a Jesuite at Amsterdam concerning Christ being the true Messiah which this undertaking to prove by his Miracles was replied upon by the other with a Number as great out of many Popish Authors insomuch that the Jew quite confounded the Jesuite And wheras Mr. Mede notes that a litle before the persecution of Decius which was A. D. 252. the Christians erected Oratories in the Name of Christ I desire Baronius may be consulted and then let any one judge how improbable it is that Christians had publick Churches with such distinction of places as is mentioned or built such Publick Oratories as our Adversaries say For Decius gave express order to forbid all Christian assemblies upon pain of Death threatning accurate observing them because many Heathens were converted thereby to Christianity As appears by Aemilianus his writing to Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria in Euseb l. 7. c. 9. vel 10. and Baronius ad A. D. 260. Num. 17. who further relates how their very Coemateria or burying places which were Vaults under ground called cryptae as Baronius shews A. D. 259 num 16. usually a Mile or more from their Cities which were often after some time discovered and then how dangerous it was to meet there he shews A 255 were now strictly forbidden them in particular as well as in the general all other places whatsoever Cyprian contemporary with Gregory is next alledged for Christian Oratories 1 In his book de Opere and Eleemosynis by the Name of Dominicum brought also by Bellarm. c. 4 de cultu Sanct. 2 In 55 Epistle by the Title of Ecclesia We never doubted but Christians had from the first Oratories or places of Meeting And that in this Century some publick which as the Church increased were inlarged But that even in Cyprian's time their assembling were in subterraneous Vaults both at Alexandria as we have shewn and Rome as is clear by Pope Cornelius's Letter to the Bishop of Vienna as Baronius testifies A. 255. n. 47. and here at Carthage in Africa A. 260. n. 37. Where the Proconsul urged Cyprian himself with the Emperors Edict ne in aliquibus locis conciliabula fiant nee caemeteria ingrediantur that the Christians should not meet in any places nor enter into their Coemeteries In which they usually celebrated the holy Mysteries which Pameltus calls the Sacrifice but Goulartius the Word Sacraments and Prayers performed only when the Church assembled Nor is the opposition mentioned of any force as we shew'd on 1 Cor. 11.22 Another Contemporary cited is Dionysius Alexandrinus in 's Epistle to Basilides declaring his Opinion That Women during the time of their Separation ought not to enter into the Church which he calls the House of God By which we learn saith Mede not only the Christians had their Houses of Worship but a religious respect also to difference them from common places To this we say as formerly That Christians had always places for meeting in but still whether in private Houses or in publick lies the question And if but a Chamber in a private House where they worshipped God it was sufficient to denominate it the House of God as well as a Cathedral And that their Assemblies then were very private appears in that they were forbidden on pain of death as we have shewn and yet where this is related by Eusebius Dionysius testifies that nevertheless they kept them But surely not in the usual places where they had easily been discovered to the loss of their lives but in all likelihood often changed the places for their security And whether every such was thereby so sanctified that it was unlawful for a menstruous Woman to enter thereinto let any one judge Nor was this a Canon as Mede calls it Baronius hath made apparent against Balsamon and by the equity of a contrary course taken by Pope Gregory in regard that legalia or ceremonials are now abdicated And if it were in force it relates not to the Place simply but the Offices there performed and the time thereof which suppose the Congregation present from which such an one was to be excluded whether the meeting was on a Mountain or in an House or under Ground in Caves and Dens of the Earth Nor need Mr. Mede tell us such places were known to the Gentiles and called worshipping places For when the Christians were grown so numerous before this time of A D. 260. as Tertullian thinks near to equalize the Heathens their Assemblies could not possibly be concealed whether above or under the Ground especially when they enjoyed any tollerable freedom from Persecution as appears by two Rescripts of Gallienus in Euseb Hist l. 7. c. 12. one for restoring all places in general to the Christians and the other their Coemiteries in particular Nor doth Aurelian's Speech in Vopiscus evince a publick place nor the opposition between the Capitol and Church imply the place but the Congregation rather that stands in congruous opposition to the Sibyls Oracles For they might be Masters of the Christian Oratories when they pleased and there consult of what they list even of setting forth the Books of the Sibyls But Mr. Mede thinks his cause is supported by that of Eusebius l. 7. relating how Paulus Samosatenus being deposed by the Council Aurelian decreed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the House of the Church should be taken from him c. This Bellarmine c. 4. de cultu sanctorum and also our Fuller alledge to the like purpose Yet both ours confess that some interpret it of domum Epifcopalem the Bishops House Belike Christopherson tho a Popish Bishop in Queen Maries days and zealous for the Opinion of our Opponents So Baronius
distinction of places can be proved in the days of the Apostles or an hundred years after It 's therefore a strange inference that if there were such different places for the several sorts of Church Members in Gregory's time which was about 250 years after the Nativity of our blessed Saviour that there were such in the Apostles days and ever since as our Adversaries would perswade us But they must have stronger reasons than these before they gain our assent For who seeth not that such distinction of places is more sit for times of Peace than Persecution such as were mostly the first 300 years of Christianity wherein men must be content to do as they may and can seeing they cannot do as they desire The Third Argument is drawn from the Example of the Synagogues and Proseucha's of the Jews whose Religion was as contrary to the Empires as the Christians and yet in their dispersion amongst the Gentiles had appropriate places for the exercise thereof Who can believe that such a Pattern should not invite the Christians to an imitation of the same tho we should suppose there were no other reasons to induce them but that of ordinary conveniency This Reason supposes the Christians might do as the Jews who built them Synagogues in those Cities where they resided having a legal Tolleration for the exercise of their Religion whereas the Laws of the Empire were against the Christians Which makes me wonder such Learned Men as Fuller Mede and others that could not but know so much should produce this Plea for their Opinion Just as if they should argue The Jews in many Popish Countries build and enjoy their Synagogues whose Religion is more contrary to Popery than the Protestants and therefore the Protestants should follow their Example and build themselves Churches for their publick Worship To which the answer is easie that so they would if they had the like Tolleration But to what purpose should they build up that which the Magistrates would throw down and they should never enjoy but instead thereof be more persecuted and punisht Whence in several great Cities where there are some Protestants Ministers are sent them which they call sub Cruce or under the Cross of Persecution as the Learned Professor Hornbeck was in his younger years in Collen where I have seen the Jews Synagogue and others I have known at Ghent and elsewhere incognito or disguis'd exercising their Office with great secresie for their greater security Not to mention the Persecutions the Christians were under in the first Ages of Christianity when the Jews enjoyed the Liberty of their Religion having spoken something thereof in the second Section and shall more fully in the following Nor let any one stop me with objecting the many Thousands of Jews under Caligula and Claudius Reigns for their Tumults and Insurrections or the Wars in the Reigns of Nero and Vespasian wherein eleven hundred thousand perished Jerusalem taken and demolished with the Temple burnt Nor after under Aelius Adrianus about A. D. 130. who tho he built Jerusalem calling it Aelia by his fore-name as he did Adrianople by his other yet made miserable Havock of the Jews and their Country For this was not by Persecution but by open Wars with them for 6 Years together which they brought upon themselves The occasion is said to be quod mutilare genitalia vetarentur arma corripuerant that being forbidden Circumcision they took up Arms. Instead of humbly addressing for a revocation they betake themselves to Warlike Opposition being also set agog by Bencochab who gave himself out for their Messias In which Wars this their false Messias was slain and more Thousands of the Jews than the number of the Israelites that came out of Egypt as their Rabbins report or as our Historians five hundred thousand and a thousand of their Villages burnt down to the Ground SECT 10. Having now Answered their Reasons We shall proceed to lay down several Considerations for the corroborating our Assertion Which amount not to a Demonstration I confess That there could be no publick Places erected for the Exercise of the Christian Religion in the two First Centuries yet compared with our Adversaries Arguments will render our Cause much more probable and weigh down theirs so clearly as to satisfie all unprejudiced Readers 1. Let 's consider the State and Condition of the World as to Religion when our blessed Saviour after his Resurrection sent forth his Apostles to Preach the Gospel to all Nations In which were two sorts of Men Jews and Gentiles of whom 't is hard to say whether were the more implacable Enemies to the Christian Religion and the Professors thereof As for the Jews what Calumnies and Tumults did they raise against the Christians not only in Judea but wheresoever they resided accusing their Doctrine as Blasphemous their Persons as Factious and Seditious and setting up a new King instead of Caesar And where they had no power to Persecute them they stirred up the Magistrates in the Empire to do it as we find frequently in the Acts of the Apostles And as to the Gentiles what Ignorance Wickedness and abominable Idolatries they lived in Scripture hath abundantly declared God having in times past suffered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the Gentiles rather than as we Translate it all Nations to walk in their own ways Acts 14.16 For the Jews had the way of Salvation made known to them but the Gentiles ways were in gross Idolatry setting up to themselves multiplicity of Gods whom they worshipped and served although some of the wiser sort of them held one Supream whom they called Jove contracted from Jehova 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father both of Men and Gods And this their Idolatrous Worship and Religion was so ancient even from Time immemorial and so universal in all the Nations of the Gentiles that none can imagine but the Gospel which opposed and condemned this wherever it came should have the utmost Opposition and its Publishers and Professors Persecutions rather than a Toleration or Permission to set up a Religion in publick destructive of their own 2. Consider the Power of the Roman Monarchy which was then at the height having Conquered the greatest part of the Western Nations both in Europe and Africa and Eastward as far as Euphrates in which especially the Gospel was to be Preached though it was carried also into the remoter Parts elsewhere over which the Roman Eagle never stretcht her Wings In the City of Rome Tacitus Reports Hist l. 11. there were not fewer than 6944000. and what vast Nations were then subject to its Empire is sufficiently known and what numerous Armies they constantly kept up All which Power was Unanimous for the defence of their Idols and their Idolatrous Worship against all Men and Means that would defame them or tended to their Demolition 3. Consider also That at that time there was not only the greatest Power to oppose Christianity but also the greatest intellectual
these are but this Conjectures for which he brings no Proof in founded upon the Piety of the Apostles who always imployed their utmost Power to propogate Religion amongst all Nations For we no where find that any of the Apostles required the erecting of Structures for Worship or Consecrating any for that end Nor the least Signification that without such Religion could not be propogated And the Renowned Sir H. Spelman p. 70. De non temevandis Ecclesiis having mentioned the Consecration of Churches in Constantines Time adds That the Christians being in Elder Ages in Persecution might hardly Build or Dedicate any Churches but were constrained to use Private Houses and Solitary Places for their Assemblies The Learned Mr. Robert Cook Viccar of Leeds in 's Censura quor Script shews Dionysius Works to be Counterfeit because he mentions several Things and particularly stately Temples after the manner of that at Jerusalem having their Sancta Sanctorum divided from the rest into which it was not lawful for the Monks and Lay People to enter Whereas there were no such Things in those Days saith Cook but Christians met together after the Manner of the Apostles Acts 1.13 and 12.12 and 20.8 in private and secret Places and there had their Prayers and Sermons Publick Temples they had none by reason of Tyrants I might bring in the like Attestations from our famous Jewel Article 3. p. 145. Willet's Synopsis Papismi sixth General Controversie Quest 6. With several others But I shall conclude all with the Testimony of a great Historian yet living of whose Acquaintance and Friendship I have the Honour to partake viz Dr. Spanhem the Honorary Professor at Leyden who in 's learned and useful Ecclesiastical Hist of the New Testament saith Loca Sacrorum Conventuum fuere saeculo secundo partim aedes privatorum caenacula balnea porticus cryptae loca abdita Partim caemeteria seu Sepulchreta Martyrum ad quae Conventus indicerent zelo accendendo his constantiae exemplis The Places of the Christians Meetings in the Second Century were partly Private Houses Dining Rooms Baths Galleries Vaults and secret Places Partly Burial-Places or Sepulchres of the Martyre which they appointed their Meetings for the inflaming their Zeal by those Examples of Constancy And afterwards shews the Manner of notifying their Conventions was by their Servants from House to House For as yet neither the beating of Wood nor sound of Bells or Brass or Voice of Cryers were used for this end lost their Assemblies should be known to the Heathens In the Third Century whether the Christians had any Temples or Churches Dedicated or Consecrated by Sacred and Christian Rites is saith He a Controversie amongst the Learned Pol. Virgil Durantus Baronius Bellarminus Ciaconius and Valcsius affirm it And of ours also Wower Fuller Selden and others That Churches are frequently mentioned in this Age is out of doubt At nec Temptorum illis aut Nomen aut Forma aut Splendor aut Species quaedam Aedes fuere Privatorum Domus caenacula sed plorumque caemeteria Cryptae spatiosissimae quas areas Martyrum dixere etiam latibula stabula oremi carceres agri ex Antiquis Scripporibus ox Conditione Temporum saeviente ut plurimum Persecutions Quanquam sub Al. Severo Philippis Gallieno conveniendi libertas Christianis major Hinc nulla esse Christianis Templa Quae memorantur Templa Tituli Consecrationum Ritus Sacerdotales à Baronio Ciaconio Fr. Bivario aliis ea ex Apocryphis Decretalibus ex Pontific vitis ex Flavii Dextri Chronico Supposititio id genus fontibus lutulentis hausta But they had neither the Name nor Form nor Splendor nor Shape or Kind of Temples They were the Dwellings of Private Persons Houses Dining-Rooms and for the most part Burying-places very spacious Vaults which they called the Floors of the Martyrs Also Lurking-places Stables Wildernesses Prisons Fields as from Ancient Writers and the Condition of those Times is manifest Persecution then for the most Part raging Allthough under Al. Sevetus the Philips and Gallienus greater Liberty was given for Christian Assemblies Hence we conclude the Christians yet had no Temples Those Temples Titles and Sacerdotal Rites of Consecration mentioned by Baronius Ciaconius Fr. Bivarius and others are all taken from the Apocryphal Decretals the Lives of the Popes and the Supposititious Chronicle of Flavius Dexter and such like impure Fountains Thus far that Learned Professor To draw up all in a short Conclusion We read in Eusebius of the Christians building Publick Oratories after Deeius and Valerians Days not of any built before These were by Publick Decrees commanded to be pulled down by Dioclesian and Maximus and not long after restored by Consiantine Those formerly taken from the Christians by Decius and Valerian were expressed to be Caemeteria Places of Burial in which they had their Cryptae or Vaults under-ground formerly represented So that for separate and publick Places for Worship for Two Hundred Years and more after Christs Nativity we have no Records in approved History FINIS A Catalogue of BOOKS sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheap-side near Mercers-Ckappel THE Fountain of Life open'd or a Display of Christ in his Essential and Mediatorial Glory containing Forty Two Sermons on varions Texts Wherein the Impetration of our Redemption by Jesus Christ is orderly unfolded as it was begun carried on and finished by his Covenant Transaction mysterious Incarnation solemn Call and Dedication blessed Offices deep Abasement and Supereminent Advancement A Treatise of the Soul of Man wherein the Divine Original excellent and immortal Nature of the Soul are opened its Love and Inclination to the Body with the necessity of its Separation from it consider'd and Improved The Existence Operations and States of separated Souls both in Heaven and Hell immediately after Death asserted discussed and variously applied Divers knotty and difficult Questions about departed Souls both Philosophical and Theological stated and determin'd The Method of Grace in bringing home the Eternal Redemption contrived by the Father and accomplished by the Son through the Effectual Application of the Spirit unto Gods Elect being the second Part of Gospel-Redemption The Divine Conduct or Mystery of Providence its Being and Efficacy asserted and vindicated All the Methods of Providence in our Course of Life open'd with Directions how to apply and improve them Navigation spiritualiz'd or a new Compass for Seamen consisting of Thirty Two Points of pleasant Observations profitable Applications serious Reflections all concluded with so many spiritual Poems c. Two Treatises the first of Fear the second the Righteous Mans Refuge in the Evil Day A Saint indeed the great Work of a Christian A Touchstone of Sincerity or Signs of Grace and Symptoms of Hypocrisie being the second Part of the Saint indeed A Token for Mourners or boundaries for Sorrow for the Death of Friends Husbandry spiritualiz'd Or the Heavenly use of Earthly Things All these Ten by Mr. John Flavel A Funeral Sermon on the Death of that Pious Gentlewoman Mrs. Judith Hammond late Wife of the Reverend Mr. George Hammond Minister of the Gospel in London Of Thoughtfulness for the Morrow With an Appendix concerning the immoderate Desire of foreknowing Things to come Of Charity in Reference to other Mens Sins The Redeemer's Tears wept over lost Souls in a Treatise on Luke 19.41 42. With an Appendix wherein somewhat is occasionally Discoursed concerning the Sin against the Holy Ghost and how God is said to Will the Salvation of them that Perish A Sermon directing what we are to do after a strict Enquiry whether or no we truly Love God These Five by Mr. John Howe