I answer in the Analogy of the old Testament whence this principle is taught us That as the divine Majestie it self is most sacred and incommunicable the reason why the worship and service given unto him must be communicated with no other so is it likewise a part of that honor we owe unto his most sacred singular and incommunicable eminency that the things wherewith he is served should not be promiscuous and common but appropriate and set apart to that end and purpose And thus I conclude the first Seculum IN THE SECOND CENTURIE NOW for the second that too for the beginning thereof we have a witness not to be rejected the holy Martyr Ignatius who suffered An. 107. wrote the most of his Epistles in his bonds He in his confessed Epistle ad Magnesios speaks thus Omnes ad orandum in idem loci convenite una sit communis precatio una mens una spes in charitate fide inculpata in Iesum Christū quo nihil praestantius est Omnes velut VNVS ad TEMPLVM Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concurrite quemadmodum ad VNVM Altare ad VNVM Iesum Christum Pontificē ingeniti Dei Loe here a Temple with an Altar in it whither the Magnesians are exhorted to gather thēselves together to pray To come together in one place that so they might all joyn together in one cōmon prayer spirited with one intētion with one the same hope in the Charity Faith they have to Christ ward Secondly to come thither as one that is in unity of affection and brotherly love one towards another as if all were but one not many even as the Altar before which they presented themselves was but one and the high Priest and Mediatour between them and the Father Iesus Christ but One. For it is to be observed that in those primitive times they had but One Altar in a Church as a Symbole both that they worshipped but One God through One Mediatour Iesus Christ also of the unity the Church ought to have in it self whence Ignatius not only here but also in his Epist to the Philadelphians urges the unity of the Altar for a monitive to the cōgregation to agree together in one For Vnum Altare saith he omni Ecclesiae unus Episcopus cum Presbyterio Diaconis conservis meis This custom of One Altar is stil retained by the Greek Church The contrary use is a transgression of the Latins not only symbolically implying but really introducing as they handle it a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or multiplying of Gods and Mediatours instead of that One God and One Mediatour between God and men the man Christ Iesus Nay more than this It should seem that in those first times before Diocesses were divided into those lesser subordinate Churches we now call Parishes Presbyters assigned to thē they had not only One Altar in one Chur or Dominicū but one Altar to a Church taking Chu for the Cōpany or Corporatiō of the Faithfull united under one Bishop or Pastor and that was in the City and place where the Bishop had his See and Residence like as the Iews had but one Altar Tēple for the whole Nation united under one high Priest And yet as the Iews had their Synagogues so perhaps might they have more Oratories than one though their Altar were but one there namely where the Bishop was Die Solis saith Iust. Mart. omniū qui vel in oppidis vel ruri degunt in eundē locu conventus fit Namely as he there tels us to celebrate participate the holy Eucharist Why was this but because they had not many places to celebrate in And unlesse this were so whence came it else that a Schismatical Bishop was said cōstituere or collocare aliud Altare that a Bishop an Altar are made correlatives See S. Cyprian Ep 40 72 73. de unitate Ecclesiae And thus perhaps is Ignatius also to be understood in that fore-quoted passage of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnū Altare omni Ecclesiae unus Episcopus cum Presbyterio Diaconis Howsoever I here determine nothing but refer it to the judgement of those who are better skilled in Antiquity only adding this that if it were so yet now that Parishes are divided into severall Presbyteries as their proper Cures every one of them being as it were a little Diocess the reason and signification of unity is the same to have but One Altar in a Parish Church To this testimony of Ignatius of the use in his time I will adde another of his in his Epistle ad Antiochenos where in his salutes he speaketh thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I salute the keepers of the HOLY DOORES the Deaconisses w ch are in Christ that is the Doores the womē entred in at For so we may learn frō the Compiler of the Apostolicall Cōstitutiōs Li. 2. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 al. 61. describing a Ch assembly Stent ostiarii saith he ad introitus virorum illos custodientes Diaconissae ad introitus foeminarum But if they had in Ignatius his time Holy doores or as some render it sacra vestibula who can beleeve also but they had holy Houses This Epistle indeed is none of the confessed ones The title is accepted against as that Ignatius wrote no Epistle ad Antiochenos because Eusebius and after him S. Hierom when they rehearse his Epistles make no mention of any such Yet were the Antiochians his flock his pastorall charge Who would not then think it unlikely that amongst so many Epistles written to other Churches in his going that long journey from Antioch to Rome to receive the crown of Martyrdom yea to Smyrna through which he had passed he should not remēber with one farewell Epistle that Church whereof he was Bishop Pastor as well as the rest Thus much I dare say that this is as strong an argument every whit to perswade that hee wrote such an Epistle especially there being one extant under that Title as Eusebius his silence for S. Hierom did but follow his steps is that he did not For why should it be thought more necessary that Eusebius should have met with all the Epistles of Ignatius in the Library of Aelia or Ierusalem whence he professeth to have collected the whole matter of his History then he did with all the works and Commentaries of some other Ecclesiasticall men whom he mentioneth many of whose writings besides those he rehearseth he confesseth not to have come to his hands or knowledge either what or how many they were See him Hist. Li. 5. c. 26. Li. 6 c. 10. This will be yet more considerable if we remember that some Books even of the Canon of the N. Test. were not known to some Churches at the same time with the rest and therefore a while doubted of after they had notice of them Besides it is to be noted that Eusebius in expresse tearms
undertakes only to recite those Epistles of Ignatius which he wrote as he passed thorow Asia but after his comming into Europe whence those Epistles are dated which he mentions not whether any thing were written by him or not he informs us nothing Nay which is yet more Vedelius grants the words and sentences of this Epistle to be the most of them by their style character the words sentences of Ignatius but he would have them therefore to be taken out of some of his other Epistles to wit according to a new strange cōceit of his that the genuine Epistles of Ignatius have been robbed guelded of much of their contēts to make up more Epistles under new Titles he excepts only in this Epistle against the salutatiōs at the end thereof because there were not so many or no such Church-offices in Ignatius his time as are there mentioned But what is this else but to beg the question Till therefore some body shall not only affirm but prove there were no such no not in the Church of Antioch whence divers Ecclesiasticall customes had their first beginning which were afterwards imitated by the rest of the Churches I can see no just cause hitherto why I should not beleeve this passage as well as the rest so the whole Epistle to have had Ignatius for its Author And so I leave it For the middle of this Seculū or thereabouts there are extant two short Epistles of PIUS the 1. Bishop of Rome to one Iustus Viennensis none of the Decretals for they are indeed coūterfeit but others diverse from thē which no man hath yet that I know of proved to be suppositious In the first whereof there is mētion made of one Euprepia a pious and devout Matron who consigned the title of her house unto the Church for the use of sacred assemblies Antequam Roma exiisses saith he soror nostra Euprepia sicut benè recordaris titulum domus suae pauperibus assignavit ubi nunc cum pauperibus nostris commorantes Missas agimus He seems by pauperes to note the Clergy which in his other Epistle he cals Senatus pauperum Salutat te Senatus pauperum Otherwise the whole Christian flock might be so called according to that in the Gospell Pauperes Euangelizantur Mat. 11. 5. Luc. 7. 22. and that of Esa. cap. 61. applyed by our Saviour Luc. 4. The Lord hath annointed me to preach the Gospell to the poore according to that in the Parable Luc. 14. 21. Introduc pauperes Bring in hither the poore Perhaps in those perillous times they were wont to make their donations of this kinde under such covert names In his 2. Epistle to the same Iustus he mentions certain Martyrs who had then newly as he there speaks triūphed over the world Amōgst which he mentiōs one Pastor by Office a Presbyter who before his death had erected or created a Titulus that is a Church as that name is vulgarly known to signifie Presbyter Pastor saith he Titulum condidit digne in Domino obiit Why the Roman Chu called such places by the name of Tituli whether because by their dedication the name of Christ our Lord was as it were inscribed upon them as the maner then was to set the names or titles of the owners upon their Houses and possessions and so it would concurre in notion with those other names of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basilica The Lords and the Kings or whether because they gave a title of Cure or denomination to the Presbyters to whom they were committed for the chief or Episcopall Church I doubt whether it were so called or not let others determine I shall not do amisse I think if I adde to this testimony a passage of Theophilus Antiochenus who lived at the same time which though I grant to be indifferent to be otherwise understood yet seems very prone to be construed for our purpose It is to be found in his second Book ad Autolycum where having compared the world to the Sea he follows the Allegory thus Quemadmodum saith he in Mari insulae quaedam prominent habitabiles frugiferae quibus est aqua salubris necnon navalia portus commodi quò se naufragi reciperent Sic Deus dedit mundo qui peccatorum tempestatibus naufragiis jactatur Synagogas quas Ecclesias sanct as nominamus gr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in quibus veritatis doctrina fervet ad quas confugiunt veritatis studiosi quot quot salvari Deique judicium iram evitare volunt It is ambiguous what he means here by Ecclesiae but if it were probable that Synagoga were here taken as it is usually in the N. T. for a place then might we determine that Ecclesia were so taken also and not for a Company or Assembly only Well howsoever Ecclesia be taken in this passage which I reckon not upon yet thus much I am sure of that toward the end of this Century it was used for a place of sacred assembly witnesse Clemens Alexandr who then lived Lib. 7. Strom where speaking of the Church or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I call not now THE PLACE but the congregation of the Elect Ecclesia whereby it appeares that in his time Ecclesia was used for the place of the assembly of the Elect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he cals them that is of the Saints and not for the congregation only For otherwise this caution needed not And so himself uses it in that story of the yong man whō S. Iohn committed to a Bishop of Asia to be instructed and trained up in the Christian piety and discipline and who afterwards was by ill company withdrawn to lewd and debauched courses and became Captain of a band of robbers in the Mountains For there when S. Iohn after a time comming again to visit the Churches demanded of the Bishop an account of the charge he had committed to him The Bishop answers He is become a villain and a robber 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and now instead of the Church he hath laid hold of a Mountain with a company like himself To conclude if the name were in Clemens his time undoubtedly the thing was And this is my proofe for the latter end of this Centurie IN THE THIRD CENTURIE NOW are we arrived at the third Seculum and the last under the Ethnick and persecuting Emperours VVherein the Testimonies of the Christians Oratories do abound and are such as will out-face any that shall dare contradict them For the beginning of this Centurie Tertullian shall give in evidence 1. In his Book De Idololatria VVhere declaiming against some Christian Artificers who because it was their occupation and trade thought it lawfull to make Idols for the Gentiles so themselves worshipped them not he speaks thus Tota die ad hanc partem zelus fidei perorabit ingemens Christianum ab Idolis in
assemblies to performe their solemne service to God in even in the Apostles times Or suppose they be not true or but doubtfull and not necessary yet thus much will follow howsoever That these Fathers who were neerer to those Primitive times by above 1100. yeares then we are so had better meanes to know what they had or had not than we supposed there were such places even in the Apostles times If in the Apostles times then no doubt in the Ages next after them And thus we shall gaine something by this Text whether we accept this notion of the word Ecclesia or not HAVING therefore gotten so good an entrance we will now further enquire what maner of places they were or may be supposed to have been which were appropriated to such use and that done proceed to shew by such testimonies or footsteps of Antiquity as time hath left unto us That there were such places through every Age respectively from the dayes of the Apostles unto the raigne of Constantine that is in every of the first 3. hundred years For the first It is not to be imagined they were such goodly and stately structures as the Church had after the Empire became Christian and we now by Gods blessing enjoy but such as the state and condition of the times would permit At the first some capable and convenient room within the walls or dwelling of some pious disciple dedicated by the religious bounty of the owner to the use of the Church and that usually an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an upper room such as the Latins call Coenaculum being according to their manner of building as the most large and capacious of any other so likewise the most retired and freeest from disturbance and next to heaven as having no other roome above it For such uppermost places we finde they were wont then to make choyce of even for private devotions as may be gathered from what we reade of S. Peter Acts 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That hee went up to the house top to pray for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies exusu Hellenistarum and is accordingly here rendred by the vulgar Latine in superiora Such an Hyperôon as we speake of was that remēbred by the name of Coenaculum Sion where after our Saviour was ascended the Apostles Disciples as we reade in the Acts assembled together daily for prayer and supplication and where being thus assembled the holy Ghost came downe upon them in Cloven tongues of fire at the feast of Pentecost Concerning which there hath beene a tradition in the Church that this was the same roome wherein our blessed Saviour the night before his Passion celebrated the Passeover with his Disciples and instituted the mysticall Supper of his Body and Blood for the sacred Rite of the Gospell The same place where on the day of his Resurrection he came and stood in the middest of his Disciples the doores being shut and having shewed them his hands and his feet said Peace be unto you As my Father hath sent me so I send you c. Iohn 20. The place where 8. dayes or the Sunday after he appeared in the same manner again unto them being together to satisfie the incredulity of Thomas who the first time was not with the rest The place where Iames the Brother of our Lord was created by the Apostles Bishop of Ierusalē The place where the 7. Deacons whereof S. Stephen was one were elected and ordained The place where the Apostles and Elders of the Church at Ierusalem held that Councell and patterne of all Councels for decision of that question Whether the Gentiles w ch beleeved were to be circūcised or not And for certain the place of this Coenaculū was afterwards enclosed with a goodly Church known by the name of the Chur SION upon the top whereof it stood Insomuch that S. Hierome in his Epitaphio Paulae made bold to apply that of the Psalme unto it Fundamenta ejus in montibus sanctis diligit Dominus portas Sion super omnia tabernacula Iacob How soone this erection was made I know not but I beleeve it was much more ancient than those other Churches erected in other places of that City by Constantine and his Mother because neither Eusebius Socrates Theodoret nor Sozomen make any mention of the foundation thereof as they doe of the rest It is called by S. Cyril who was Bishop of the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the upper Church of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles in the likenesse of fiery tongues here in Ierusalem in the VPPER CHURCH OF THE APOSTLES Cyril Hierosol Cat. 16. If this tradition be true it should seeme by it that this Coenaculum from the time our blessed Saviour first hallowed it by the institution and celebration of his mysticall Supper was thenceforth devoted to be a place of prayer holy assēblies And surely no Ceremonies of dedication no not of Solomons Temple it self are comparable to those sacred guests whereby this place was sanctified This is the more easie to be beleeved if the house were the possession of some Disciple at least if not of kinred also to our Saviour according to the flesh which both reason perswades and tradition likewise confirmeth it to have been And when we reade of those first beleevers that such as had houses and lands sold them and brought the prices laid them down at the Apostles feet it is nothing unlikely but some likewise might give their house unto the Apostles for the use of the Church to perform sacred duties in And thus perhaps should that tradition whereof Venerable Bede tels us be understood viz. That this Church of Sion was founded by the Apostles Not that they erected that structure but that the place from the time it was a Coenaculum was by them dedicated to be an house of prayer His words are these De locis sanctis cap. 3. in Tom 3. In superiori Montis Sion planicie monachorum cellulae Ecclesiam magnam circundant illic ut perhibent ab Apostolis fundatam eo quod IBI SPIRITVM SANCTVM acceperint In quâ etiam LOCVS COENAE DOMINI venerabilis ostenditur And if this were so why may I not think that this Coenaculum Sion was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof we reade concerning the first Christian society at Ierusalem Acts. 2. 46. That they continued daily in the Temple and breaking bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the House ate their meat with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart the meaning being that when they had performed their devotions daily in the Temple at the accustomed times of prayer there they used to resort immediatly to this Coenaculum and there having celebrated the mysticall banquet of the holy Eucharist afterwards took their ordinary and necessary repast with gladnesse
ECCLESIAM venire de adversaria officina in DOMVM DEI venire attollere ad Deum patrem manus matres Idolorum his manibus adorare quae nempe in operibus suis foris .i. in Templis Gentium adversus Deum adorantur eas manus admovere Corpori Domini quae Daemoniis corpora conferunt Mark here DOMVS DEI ECCLESIA expounded by it In Ecclesiam venire id est In Domum Dei venire and both of them set in opposition to an Idol-shop Of this DOMUS DEI or House of God in his Book adversus Valentinianos he describes unto us the form and posture upon this occasion He compares the Valentinian heresie in respect of their affected secresie and reservednesse in hiding the mysteries of their doctrine to the Eleusinian Holies whose Temple had many Curtains and Doores through which those that were to be initiated were 5. years in passing before they could be admitted unto the Adytum or sacrarie where the Deity was VVhereas contrariwise he proveth out of Scripture the badge and genius of the Religiō of Christ to consist in a Dove-like simplicity and opennesse and accordingly had its Oratories or Houses of worship not like that of the Eleusinian Holies concealed with multiplicity of walls vails turnings and windings but agreeable to and as it were figuring its disposition For Nostrae Columbae domus saith he simplex etiam in editis apertis ad lucem Amat figuram Sp. sancti Orientem Christi figuram Nihil veritas erubescit c .... Nostrae Columbae domus .i. Domus religionis nostrae columbinae or Catholici Christi gregis qui Columba figuratur namely as he said a little before Christum Columba demonstrare solitaest serpens vero tentare meaning as I suppose not so much Christ personall as Christ mysticall that is the Disciples or Religion of Christ. For it is the conclusion of his proofes brought out of Scripture to shew that simplicity was the livery of Christs Disciples or Religion In summa saith he Christum columba demonstrare solita est c. And otherwise that solita est would scarcely be true since Christ personall is but once pointed out by a Dove namely at his Baptisme This House saith he is simplex that is Sine tot portarum sipariorum involucris Also in editis apertis places which Doves delight in Et ad lucem i toward the place whence light springeth or the Sun-rising For Amat figuram Sp. sancti i. the Dove as also Orientem Christi figuram wherein he alludes to that Oriens exalto or Day-spring from on high in Zacharies Benedictus and hath reference to the word Et ad lucem i. ad locum vel plagam lucis For that the Churches of Christians anciently were turned toward the East appeares by the Author of the Apostolicall Constitutions which surely are as ancient as Tertullian Domus sit oblonga ad Orientem conversa saith he Besides it appeares out of Tertullian himself that Christians then worshipped towards the East and therefore more than probable their houses were sited and accommodated accordingly Thus I have done my best to cleare this passage because the Author is crabbed and obscure There are two or three more places in the same Father where the Christian Oratories are mentioned by the name of Ecclesia but because the ambiguous and indifferent signification of this word either for a Place or an Assembly makes them not convictive unlesse some circumstance bee annexed which determines it I will only produce that De corona Militis Chap. 3. where concerning the Sacrament of Baptisme he speaks thus Aquam adituri ibidem sed aliquanto prius in ECCLESIA sub Antistitis manu contestamur nos renunciare Diabolo Pompae Angelis ejus Dehinc ter mergitamur I say Ecclesia here signifies the Place For the clearing whereof know that the Baptisteries or places of water for Baptisme in those elder times were not as now our Fonts are within the Church but without and often in places very remote from it When therefore Tertullian here saith That those who were to be baptized first made their abrenunciation in the Church sub manu Antistitis that is as I suppose the Bishop or Priest laying hands upon them either in the mean time or assoon as they had done and afterward again at the Water He must needs by Ecclesia mean the Place otherwise if it were taken for the Assembly of the faithfull the Church in that sense was present also at the Water But Ecclesia here and the Water are supposed to be two distinct places in both of which according to the rite of the African Churches Abrenunciation was to be performed Aquam adituri IBIDEM .i. apud aquam sed aliquando prius in ECCLESIA contestamur nos renunciare Diabolo c. And thus much for the testimony of Tertullian My next witnesse is Hippolytus who flourished between the twentieth and thirtieth yeare of this Century in the raign of Alexander Mammeae He in his Treatise De consummatione mundi seu de Antichristo describing the signes and impieties which should precede the persecution of Antichrist as he conceived thereof hath this passage concerning the irreligion and prophanenesse which should then raign 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Templa Dei domorum communium instar erunt ubique Ecclesiarum eversiones fient scripturae contemnentur And in his description of the persecution it self This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IEPA 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sacrae Ecclesiarum aedes instar Pomorum custodiae erunt pretiosumque corpus sanguis non extabit in diebus illis Liturgia extinguetur Psalmorum decantio cessabit scripturarum recitatio non audietur No man of reason can beleeve but that he that speaks thus knew and was well acquainted with such Places in his own time though his description be of that which was to be in time to come For it would be a marvellous conceit to think he prophecied of them having never seen them Nay a prophane Testimony will further confirm us he needed not For Lampridius reports of this Alexander Mammeae in whose time Hippolytus lived Quòd cum Christiani quendam locum qui publicus fuerat occupassent contra Popinarii dicerent sibi eum deberi rescripsit Imperator Melius esse ut quomodocunque illic Deus colatur quà m Popinariis dedatur About the middle of this Century flourished that famous Gregorie of Neocaesarea surnamed Thaumaturgus He in his Epistola Canonica as the Greeks call it describing the 5. degrees or admissions of Poenitents according to the discipline of his time which he cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he est extra portam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ORATORII ubi peccatorem stantem oportet fideles ingredientes orare ut pro se precentur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .i. Auditio est
intra portam in loco qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur ubi oportet eum qui peccavit stare usque ad Catechumenos illinc egredi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .i. substratio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 N̄AOY 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut intra TEMPLI portam consistens cum Catechumenis egrediatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .i. congregatio seu consistentia est ut cum fidelibus consistat cum catechumenis non egrediatur Postremo est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 participatio Sacramentorum Who sees not here that Christians in his time had Oratories or sacred Houses to worship in and those accommodated with distinct places of remoter and nearer admission Nay further we finde in this Gregories life written by Gregorie Nissen that he was himself a great Founder and erecter of these sacred Edifices whereof the Church built by him at Neocaesarea in Pontus where he was Bishop was still standing in Gregorie Nissens time Heare his words where he relates the speedy and wonderfull successe this Thaumaturgus had in the conversion of that City Cum omnibus omnia fieret saith he tantum sibi auxilio spiritus repente populū adjunxit ut ad TEMPLI fabricationem animum adjiceret gr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum omnes offerendo tam pecunias quam operas suas studium ejus adjuvarent Hoc est Templum quod usque hodie ostenditur quod magnus ille vir statim aggressus quasi fundamentum atque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacerdotii sui .i. Episcopatus in maxime conspicuo urbis loco constituit He addes besides that whereas in his own time there had happened a most grievous Earthquake Quo omnia tà m publica quà m privata aedificia disjecta essent solum illud Templum Gregorianum illaesum inconcussum mansisse Nor is this all He tels in the same place how that a little before the persecution of Decius which was Anno Christi 252. this Thaumaturgus having converted not the City of Neocaesarea only but the whole territory adjoyning to the faith of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the converts pulling down their Idol-Altars and Idol-Temples and in every place erecting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oratorias in nomine Christi Aedes stirred up the fury and indignation of the Emperour About the same time with this Gregory lived S. Cyprian at Carthage In him I observe the Christian Oratories twice remembred once by the name of Domnicum .i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another time of Ecclesia The first in his Book De opere eleemosynis speaking against communicating the holy Eucharist without an offering Matrona saith he quae in Ecclesia Christi locuples dives es Dominicum sacrificium celebrare te credis quae corbonam omnino non respicis quae in DOMINICVM sine sacrificio venis quae partem de sacrificio quod pauper obtulit sumis The other in his 55. Epist. or 3. ad Cornelium where declaiming against some lapsed Christians who having in time of persecution sacrificed unto Idols would neverthelesse without due penance and satisfaction be admitted again into the Church If this be once permitted saith he Quid superest quà m ut ECCLESIA Capitolio cedat recedentibus sacerdotibus ac Domini nostri ALTARE removentibus in Cleri nostri sacrum venerandumque consessum .i. in Presbyterium seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simulacra atque Idola cum Aris suis transeant Note that Ecclesia here and Capitolium Christs House and Iupiters Temple stand in opposition one to the other also that Capitolium by Antonomasia is put for a Gentile Temple in generall that in the one to wit Ecclesia was Altare Domini nostri sacer venerandusque consessus Cleri in the other Idola simulacra cum Aris Diaboli Contemporary with S. Cyprian was that famed Dionysius Alexandrinus made Bishop somewhat before him but out-lived him some 5. yeares namely untill 265. There is an Epistle of his extant which is part of the Canon Law of the Greek Church to one Basilides resolving certain quaeres of his Amongst the rest whether a woman during the time of her separation might enter into the Church or not To which his answer is negative This Quaere he expresseth thus De mulieribus quae sunt in abscessu an eas sic affectas oporteat DOMVM DEI ingredi gr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By which and his answer thereunto we learn not only that the Christians had then Houses of worship but a religious respect also to difference them from common places And here because the time fitly presents it in our way take notice for some reason that we shall heare of ere wee have done That this of the Christians having such houses for their devotions was a thing publiquely known to the Gentiles themselves together with the name whereby they called them as appears by two Imperiall Rescripts the one of Galienus about the yeare 260. recorded by Eusebius Hist. lib. 7. cap. 12. which cals them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Worshipping Places which having been a little before in the persecution of Valerianus his Father taken from the Christians and then in the hands of the Gentiles Galienus graciously restored them unto them with liberty freely to exercise their Religion The words of the Rescript so much of them as is needfull to our purpose are these Imperator Caesar Publius Licinius Galienus c. Dionysio Puniae Demetrio caeteris Episcopis salutem Meae munificentiae beneficium per universum divulgari Orbem praecepi Vt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .i. à locis religionis cultui dicatis discedatur Et propterea vos mearum literarum exemplari uti poteritis quo nemo deinceps vobis quicquam facessat molestiae c. The other is of Aurelianus De libris Sibyllinis inspiciendis when the Marcomanni invaded the Empire Anno Ch. 271. recorded by Vopiscus in these words Miror vos Patres sancti he writes to the Senate tamdiu de aperiendis Sibyllinis dubitasse libris perinde quasi in Christianorum ECCLESIA non in TEMPLO Deorum omnium tractaretis that is in the Capitol where the Senate used sometimes to sit Adde to this if you please that which Eusebius relates of this Emperour to wit that when Paulus Samosatenus being deposed by the Councell from his Bishoprick and Domnus chosen in his room would not yeeld up the possession of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The matter being brought before Aurelianus the Emperour he decrees that it should be given to those of the Sect unto whom the Bishops of Rome and Italy should send Letters of communion Sic demum Paulus saith Eusebius à seculari potestate summo cum dedecore ex ECCLESIA expellitur For that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here meant the Christians Oratorie or house of sacred assembly at Antioch and not the Bishops house as some would have it appeares both because Eusebius elsewhere so uses it as namely Lib. 8. cap.
ult Lib. 9. cap. Θ. as also because he expounds himself presently by Ecclesia when he saith Sic Paulus summo cum dedecore à potestate seculari ex Ecclesia exigitur For surely he meant not that he was by the secular arme cast out of the Church as Chuâ—ch is taken for the company of the Faithfull but as it signifies the Place of sacred assembly where this Paulus kept possession after he was deposed for heresie by the Councell But what need we trouble our selves thus to gather up Testimonies for the latter half of this Seculum I have one Testimony behinde which will dispatch it all at once yea and if need be depose for the whole also It is that of Eusebius in his eighth Book Hist. Eccl. in the beginning where describing those peacefull and halcyonian dayes which the Church enjoyed for many yeares from the time of the Martyrdome of S. Cyprian unto that most direfull persecution of Diocletian and how wonderfully the number of Christians was advanced during that time he speaketh on this manner Quomodo quisquam infinita illos hominum turbâ frequentatos conventus coetuuÌ„que in singulis urbibus congregatorum multitudinem illustresque in ORATORIIS concursus describere valeat Quorum causa quum in ANTIQVIS illis AEDIFICIIS satis amplius loci non haberent vel antiquis illis aedificiis haudquaquam amplius contenti amplas spatiosasque in omnibus urbibus ex fundamentis erexerunt ECCLESIAS Loe here how in those Halcyonian dayes Christians had not only Churches or Houses of worship but such as might then be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ancient aedifices which how far it may reach let others judge Secondly that the number of Christians being grown so great that those ancient Fabricks were no longer sufficient to contain them they erected new and more spacious ones in every City from the foundations And all this testified by one that himself lived and saw part of those times These sacred Aedifices Diocletian and those other surrogated Emperours which contained that direfull ten yeares persecution begun by him commanded by their Edicts to be every where demolished as we may reade in the same Eusebius at large The like whereunto seems never to have happened in any of the former persecutions in which they were only taken from the Christians but again when the persecution ceased for the most part restored unto them as in the former persecution they were by Galienus under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus I think I have proved by good and sufficient Testimonies that Christians had Oratories or Churches that is appropriate Places for Christian worship in every of the first 300. yeares I am well assured whosoever be Iudge long before the dayes of Constantine I will adde to these authorities two or three reasons why they must in all likelihood have had such Places First because it is certain that in their sacred assemblies they used then to worship and pray towards the East which how it could be done with any order and conveniencie is not easie to be conceived unlesse we suppose the Places wherein they worshipped to have been situated and accommodated accordingly that is chosen and appointed to that end Secondly because of their discipline which required distinct and regular Places in their assemblies for the Poenitentes Auditores Catechumeni Fideles and therefore argueth they met not in every place promiscuously but in Places already fitted accommodated for that purpose Lastly because they had before their eyes an example and pattern in the Proseuchais and Synagogues of the Iews from whom their Religion had its beginning which though as contrary to the Religion of the Empire as theirs yet had places appropriate for the exercise therof wheresoever they lived dispersed amoÌ„g the Gentiles Who can beleeve that such a pattern should not invite the Christians to an imitation of the same though we should suppose there were no other reasons to induce them but that of ordinary conveniencie ANSVVER TO THE OBIECTIONS I Come now to answer the Objections brought by such as maintain the contrary opinion which are two First say they It is not likely no not possible they should have any such places living under a Pagan and persecuting State and Empire I answer this Objection is already confuted by matter of fact For it is to be noted that the greatest and most cruell Persecutions and the 5. last of the ten fall with in the third or last Centurie In which that Christians had Oratories or Houses of Christian worship we have before proved by most indubitate and irrefragable testimonies But if in this why not aswell in the former Ages wherein the persecutions were as no more in number so far lesse bitter For it is to be taken notice of that these Persecutions were not continuall but as it were by fits and those of the 2. first Centuries of no long durance so as the Churches enjoyed long times of peace and quietnesse between them Besides why should it seem to any one lesse credible that Christians should have their Oratories or Houses of worship under the Romane Empire whilest the State thereof was yet Gentile and opposite to the faith of Christ then that they had them in the Kingdome of Persia which never was Christian For that they had them there as old as the dayes of Constantine Sozomen testifieth Lib. 2. c. 8. The occasion of the demolishing whereof by K. Isdigerdes and of that most barbarous persecution of the Christians of those Countries for 30. yeares together about the yeare 400. Theodoret relates Lib. 5. cap. 38. namely that one Audas out of an indiscreet and unseasonable zeale though otherwise a vertuous and godly Bishop having demolished the Persians Pyraeum or Temple where the Fire was worshipped and refusing to build it up again as was enjoyned him the King thereupon mightily enraged caused all the Christians Oratories or Churches in his Dominions to be demolished likewise and that horrible persecution before mentioned to storm against them Could the Christians finde means and opportunity to erect Churches that is houses for their Religion under a Pagan government in Persia and could they not under the Romane Empire The other Objection is from the Authors of Apologies against the Gentiles Origen against Celsus Minutius Felix Arnobius and Lactantius who when the Gentiles object Atheisme to the Christians as having no Templa no Arae no Simulacra these Authors are so far from pleading they had any such that they answer by way of concession not only granting they had none but which is more affirming they ought not to have and condemning the Gentiles which had Celsus saith Origen ait nos AraruÌ„ statuaruÌ„ TemploruÌ„que fundationes fugere Origen denies it not but gives the reason Templorum fundationes fugimus quia ubi per Iesu doctrinam comperimus quemadmodum colendus sit Deus ea nos evitamus quae sub