and confession and fulfilled the regular customs and orders of the Church The time of penance being ended they addressed themselves to the Governours of the Church for Absolution hereupon their repentance was taken into examination and being found to be sincere and real they were openly re-admitted into the Church by the imposition of the hands of the Clergy the party to be absolv'd kneeling down between the knees of the Bishop or in his absence of the Presbyter who laying his hand upon his head solemnly blessed and absolved him whence doubtless sprang that absurd and senceless calumny which the Heathens laid upon the Christians that they were wont Sacerdotis colere genitalia so forward were they to catch at any reproach which the most crooked and malicious invention could insinuate and suggest The penitent being absolved was received with the universal joy and acclamation of the people as one returned from the state of the dead for such 't is plain they accounted them while under a state of guilt especially the lapsed as Cyprian positively affirms them to be being embraced by his brethren who blessed God for his return and many times wept for the joy of his recovery who upon his absolution was now restored to a participation of the Lords Supper and to all other acts of Church-Communion which by his crimes he had forfeited and from which he had been suspended till he had given satisfactory evidence of his repentance and purpose to persevere under the exact discipline of Christianity This was the ordinary way wherein they treated criminals in the Primitive Church but in cases of necessity such as that of danger of death they did not rigidly exact the set time of penance but absolved the person that so he might dye in the peace and communion of the Church The story of Serapion at Alexandria we have formerly mentioned who being suddainly surpriz'd with death while he was under the state of penance and not being able to dye till he had received absolution sent for the Presbyter to testifie his repentance and absolve him but he being also at that time sick sent him a part of the Consecrated elements which he had by him upon the receiving whereof he breathed out his soul with great comfort and satisfaction that he now died in Communion with the Church The truth is the time of these Penitentiary humiliations often varied according to the circumstances of the case it being much in the power of the Bishops and Governours of the Church to shorten the time and sooner to absolve and take them into Communion the Medicinal vertue of repentance lying not in the duration but the manner of it as S. Basil speaks in this very case A learned man has observed to my hand four particular cases wherein they were wont to anticipate the usual time of absolution The first was what I observed but now when persons were in danger of death this was agreed to by Cyprian and the Martyrs and the Roman Clergy and the Letters as he tells us sent through the whole World to all the Churches this also was provided for by the great Council of Nice That as for those that were at the point of death the ancient and Canonical rule should be observed still that when any were at the point of death they should by no means be deprived of the last and necessary Viaticum i.e. the Holy Sacrament which was their great Symbol of Communion And here for the better understanding some passages it may not be unuseful once for all to add this note that whereas many of the ancient Canons of the Illiberine Council especially positively deny communion to some sorts of penitents even at the hour of death they are not to be understood as if the Church mercilesly denied all indulgence and absolution to any penitent at such a time but only that it was thought fit to deny them the use of the Eucharist which was the great pledge and testimony of their communion with the Church The second case was in time of eminent persecution conceiving it but fit at such times to dispense with the rigour of the discipline that so Penitents being received to the Grace of Christ and to the communion of the Church might be the better armed and enabled to contend earnestly for the Faith This was resolved and agreed upon by Cyprian and a whole Council of African Bishops whereof they give an account to Cornelius Bishop of Rome that in regard persecution was drawing on they held it convenient and necessary that communion and reconciliation should be granted to the lapsed not only to those that were a dying but even to the living that they might not be left naked and unarmed in the time of battel but be able to defend themselves with the shield of Christs body and blood For how say they shall we teach and perswade them to shed their blood in the Cause of Christ if we deny them the benefit of his blood How shall we make them fit to drink the cup of martyrdom unless we first admit them in the Church to a right of communication to drink of the cup of the blood of Christ A third case wherein they relaxed the severity of this discipline was when great multitudes were concerned or such persons as were likely to draw great numbers after them in this case they thought it prudent and reasonable to deal with persons by somewhat milder and gentler methods lest by holding them to terms of rigour and austerity they should provoke them to fly off either to Heathens or to Hereticks This course Cyprian tells us he took he complied with the necessity of the times and like a wise Physician yielded a little to the humour of the patient to provide for his health and to cure his wounds and quotes herein the example of Cornelius of Rome who dealt just so with Trophimus and his party and elsewhere that out of an earnest desire to regain and resettle the brethren he was ready to connive at many things and to forgive any thing and did not examine and exact the greatest crimes with that full power and severity that he might insomuch that he thought he did almost offend himself in an over-liberal remitting other mens offences Lastly in absolving penitents and mitigating the rigours of their repentance they used to have respect to the person of the penitent to his Dignity or Age or Infirmity or the course of his past life sometimes to the greatness of his Humility and the impression which his present condition made upon him Thus the Ancyran Council impowers Bishops to examine the manner of mens Conversion and Repentance and accordingly either to moderate or enlarge their time of penance but especially that regard be had to their Conversation both before and since their offence that so clemency and indulgence may be extended to them So for the case of persons of
opposing the plain and simple way of the Orthodox Assemblies to the skulking and clancular Conventicles of the Hereticks who Serpent-like crept about in holes and corners says he the house of our Dove-like Religion is simple built on high and in open view and respects the light as the figure of the Holy Spirit and the East as the representation of Christ It cannot be thought that in the first Ages while the flames of persecution raged about their ears the Christian Churches should be very stately and magnificent but such as the condition of those times would bear their splendour encreasing according to the entertainment that Christianity met withal in the world till the Empire becoming Christian their Temples rose up into grandeur and gallantry as amongst others may appear by the particular description which Eusebius makes of the Church at Tyre mentioned before and that which Constantine built at Constantinople in honour of the Apostles both which were incomparably sumptuous and magnificent I shall not undertake to describe at large the exact form and the several parts and dimensions of their Churches which varied somewhat according to different times and Ages but briefly reflect upon such as were most common and remarkable at the entrance of their Churches especially after they began to arrive at more perfection was the Vestibulum called also Atrium and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Porch in greater Churches of somewhat larger capacity adorned many times with goodly Cloysters marble Columns Fountains and Cisterns of water and covered over for the conveniency of those that stood or walked there Here stood the lowest order of Penitents beging the prayers of the faithful as they went in For the Church it self it usually consisted of three parts the first was the Narthex which we have no proper word to render by it was that part of the Church that lay next to the great door by which they entred in in the first part of it stood the Catechumens or first learners of Christianity in the middle the Euergumeni or those who were possessed by Satan and in this part also stood the Font or place of baptismal initiation and towards the upper end was the place of the Hearers who were one of the ranks of Penitents The second part contained the middle or main body of the Church called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Latins Navis from whence our term the Nave of the Church comes where the faithful assembled for the celebration of Divine Service where the men and the women had their distinct apartments lest at such times unchast and irregular appetites should be kindled by a promiscuous interfering with one another of which pious and excellent contrivance mention is made in an ancient Funeral Inscription found in the Vatican Coemetery at Rome such a one buried SINISTRA PARTE VIRORUM on that side of the Church where the men sat In this part of the Church next to the entring into it stood the Class of the Penitents who were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because at their going out they fell down upon their knees before the Bishop who laid his hands upon them Next to them was the Ambo the Pulpit or rather reading-desk whence the Scriptures were read and preached to the people Above that were the Faithful the highest rank and order of the people and who alone communicated at the Lords Table The third part was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separated from the rest of the Church by neat Rails called Cancelli whence our English word Chancel to denote the part of the Church to this day into this part none might come but such as were in holy orders unless it were the Greek Emperours who were allowed to come up to the Table to make their Offerings and so back again within this division the most considerable thing was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Altar as they metaphorically called it because there they offered the commemorative Sacrifice of Christs Body and Blood o◠the Communion-Table 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 't is frequently styled by the Greek Fathers behind which at the very upper end of the Chancel was the Chair or Throne of the Bishop for so was it almost constantly called on both sides whereof were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Seats of the Presbyters for the Deacons might not here sit down the Bishops Throne was raised up somewhat higher from the ground and from hence I suppose it was that he usually delivered his Sermons to the people therefore Socrates seems to note it as a new thing in Chrysostoms that when he preached he went to sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the Pulpit he means that in the body of the Church for so Sozomon tells us that he sat in the Reading Desk in the middle of the Church that by reason of his low voice he might be better heard of the people Adjoining to the Chancel on the North-side probably was the Diaconicon mentioned both in the Laodicean Council though I know both Zonaras and Balsamon and after them the learned Leo Allatius will have another thing to be meant in that place as also in a Law of Arcadius and Honorius against Hereticks and probably so called either because peculiarly committed to the Deacon of the place or as the great Commentator upon that Law will have it because set apart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to some sacred services It was in the nature of our modern Vestries the Sacristy wherein the Plate Vessels and Vestments belonging to the Church and other things dedicated to holy uses were laid up and where in after times Reliques and such like Fopperies were treasured up with great care and diligence On the other side of the Chancel was the Prothesis or place where things were prepared in order to the Sacrament where the Offerings were laid and what remained of the Sacramental Elements till they were decently disposed of And this may serve for a short view of the Churches of those first times after they began to grow up into some beauty and perfection But though the Christians of those times spared no convenient cost in founding and adorning publick places for the Worship of God yet were they careful to keep a decent mean between a sordid slovenliness and a too curious and over nice superstition In the more early times even while the fury and fierceness of their Enemies kept them low and mean yet they beautified their Oratories and places of Worship especially if we may believe the Authour of the Dialogue in Lucian whom we mentioned before and who lived within the first Age who bringing in one Critias that was perswaded by the Christians to go to the place of their Assembly which by his description seems to have been an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Vpper-Room tells us that after they had gone up several stairs they came at last into an House or Room
strictly taken for lifting up the hand in suffrage commonly used at Athens and some of the States of Greece in the designing and electing persons to be publick Magistrates But more particularly in use amongst the Jews and from them doubtless as many other of the Synagogue-rites transferred into the Christian Church and there constantly used both as to the lifting up and laying on the hands as the rite of conferring ordination upon the Ministers of Christ. Only it is here to be remembred that there was a double imposition of hands in setting apart Ecclesiastical Officers the one was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by way of consecration and this was the proper way of ordaining the first rank of Officers Bishops Presbyters and Deacons the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of blessing hands being laid upon them only as in the absolution of Penitents by way of solemn benediction and thus the inferiour Officers Subdeacons Readers c. and Deaconesses were set apart All orders under Bishops were ordained by the Bishop the Bishop himself by all the Bishops of that Province who used to meet together for that purpose if nearness of place and other conveniencies would allow otherwise three and in cases of necessity two might do it the rest testifying their consent in writing and the person thus ordained was to be confirmed by the Metropolitan of that Province And whereas the Council of Antioch provides that no Bishop shall be ordained without the Metropolitan being present it is to be understood as Balsamon tells us of his leave and permission or his appointing it to be so For the ordination of the rest of the Clergy Priests Deacons c. the act and presence of one Bishop might suffice and as no more than one was required so one at least was necessary the power of conferring order being even by those who otherwise have had no mighty kindness for Episcopacy acknowledged an unquestionable right of the Episcopal Office Insomuch that in the case of Athanasius it was a just exception against Ischyras that he had been ordained by Colythus who was no higher than a Presbyter and consequently his ordination by the Council was adjudged null and void At all ordinations especially of superiour Officers the people of the place were always present and ratified the action with their approbation and consent And indeed it cannot be denied but that the people in some places especially were very much considered in this affair it being seldom or never done without their presence and suffrage To this end the Bishop was wont before every ordination to propound and publish the names of those who were to have holy Orders conferred upon them that so the people who best knew their lives and conversations might interpose if they had any thing material to object against it By which means the unworthy were discovered and rejected the deserving honoured and admitted the ordination became legitimate and satisfactory having past the common vote and suffrage without any exception made against it as Cyprian speaks Hence the Clergie of what order soever were said Praedicari to be propounded or published And this way seemed so fit and reasonable that Severus the Emperour a wise and prudent Prince in imitation of the Christians established it in the disposal of Civil Offices For when he had a mind to send out any Governours of Provinces or to appoint Receivers of his Revenues he propounded the names of those he intended desiring the people to except against the persons if they knew them guilty of any crimes which they were able to make good against them affirming it to be unfit says his own Historian that when the Christians and Jews did it in publishing those who were to be ordained their Priests and Ministers the same should not be observed in the election of Governours of Provinces who had the lives and fortunes of men committed to them When the case so hapned that the ordination was more remote or private they were then required to bring sufficient testimonials thus Cyprian when ordaining Saturus and Optatus to be Readers we examined says he whether the Testimonials agreed to them which they ought to have who are admitted into the Clergy And indeed they proceeded in this affair with all imaginable care and prudence they examined mens fitness for the place to which they were set apart enquired severely what had been the course and manner of their life how they had carried themselves in their youth and whether they had governed it by the strict rules of piety This ancient custom as S. Basil calls it was ratified by the Nicene Council declaring that none should be ordained Presbyter without previous examination especially a strict enquiry into his life and manners For the Apostolick Church says Joseph the Egyptian in his Arabick Paraphrase of that Canon admits none in this case but him that is of great innocency and an unspotted life free from those crimes and enormities which he there particularly reckons up They suffered not men in those days to leap into Ecclesiastical Orders but by the usual steps and staying the appointed times Cyprian commends Cornelius Bishop of Rome that he did not skip into the Chair but passed through all the Ecclesiastical Offices ascending through all the degrees of Religion till he came ad sacerdotii sublime fastigium to the top of the highest order A thing expresly provided for by the Synod of Sardis that no man though never so rich though furnished with never so good a knack of speech and oratory should yet be made Bishop before he had passed through the preceding Orders of Reader Subdeacon Deacon and Presbyter that having been found fit in each of these he might step by step ascend up to the Episcopal Chair and that he should spend some considerable time in each of these degrees that so his faith and the innocency and excellency of his life his constancy and moderation might be made known to all and his fitness for that sacred function being made apparent might procure him the greater honour and reverence from others Men were then forced to stay their full time before they could be promoted to any higher Order they did not commence Divines and Bishops in a day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianzen elegantly calls them like some he complains of in his time who were not polished by time and study but fitted and made Bishops all at once whom therefore he wittily compares to the Dragons teeth which the Fable tells us Cadmus sowed at Thebes which immediately sprung up Giants out of the earth arm'd Cap-a-pe perfect men and perfect Warriours in one day and just such says he were some Prelates consecrated made wise and learned in one day who yet understood nothing before nor brought any thing to the Order but only a good will to be there For the Age of the persons that were to be ordained they usually
others to the true Religion and that they did not this out of any designs of gain or interest to themselves was plain because they often refus'd to receive necessary accommodations from others or if they did they were such only as were barely and absolutely necessary for the present turn when as far greater liberalities have been offered to them Nay some of the antient Canons expresly require that no man who has either Hereticks or Infidels in his Family shall be admitted to the order either of Bishop Presbyter or Deacon who has not first converted those persons to the true Christian faith Having seen what kindness and charity they expressed to mens souls we come next to that which respected their bodies and the necessities of the outward life this they shewed in several instances we shall consider some of the most material In the first place they took special care to provide for the poor and such as were unable to help themselves this Cyprian in his retirement gave especially in charge to the Presbyters and Deacons of his Church that by all means they should mind the poor and furnish them with whatever was necessary for them Dionysius Bishop of Corinth testifies of the Church of Rome that they did not only eminently provide for their own poor but with great liberality administer to the necessities of other Churches plentifully relieving whatever indigent brethren came to them or where-ever they were though at the greatest distance from them And of the Church of Antioch Chrysostom tells us that in his time though the revenues of it were but small yet besides its Clergy besides strangers lepers and such as were in bonds it daily maintain'd above three thousand Widows and Maids Indeed the bounty of those times was almost incredible S. Cyprian upon his turning Christian sold his estate to relieve the wants of others and could not be restrained from it either by the perswasions of others or the considerations of what he might be reduced to himself After his entrance upon the Ministry his doors were open to all that came from whom no Widow ever returned empty to any that were blind he would be their guide to direct them them that were lame he was ready to lend his assistance to support them none were oppressed by might but he was ready to defend them Caesarius S. Basil's brother made only this short will when he died I will that all my estate be given to the poor Nazianzen reports of his Father that he was so kind to the poor that he did not only bestow the surplusage of his estate upon them but even part of what was reserv'd for necessary uses of his Mother that an Ocean of wealth would not have filled her unsatisfied desire of doing good and that he had often heard her say that if it were lawful she could willingly have sold her self and children to have expended the price upon the uses of the poor and of his Sister Gorgonia that she was immensely liberal Job-like her gate was open to every stranger she was eyes to the blind feet to the lame and a mother to orphans her estate was as common to the poor and as much at their need as every ones is to himself dispersing and scattering abroad and according to the counsel of our Saviour laying up her treasure in heaven They gave not only according to but beyond their ability trusting to the goodness and fidelity of heaven to supply what wanted which many times made the return with overplus by ways uncommon and extraordinary Sozomen relates of Epiphanius Bishop of Salamine in Cyprus that having spent all his own estate in pious and charitable uses in relieving the needy and such as were by shipwrack and the mercy of the sea cast upon the coast he freely dispensed and distributed the goods and treasures of his Church which by the bounty of charitable persons from all parts who thought they could not better lodge their estates than in the hands of so good a man was very rich and wealthy and that with so liberal a hand that the Steward or Guardian of the Church finding its stock begin to grow very low with some resentment told him of it charging him as too profuse and open-handed All which notwithstanding he remitted nothing of his accustomed bounty to the poor At length all being spent a stranger on a suddain comes into the Stewards lodgings and delivers into his hand a great purse of gold without any discovery either who 't was that brought it or who 't was that sent it And indeed so vast and universal was the charity of this good man that it sometimes made him liable to be imposed upon by crafty and designing persons whereof the Historian in the same place gives this remarkable instance A couple of beggars meeting Epiphanius and knowing the charitableness of his temper to draw the greater alms from him agreed to put this trick upon him One of them lies along upon the ground feigning himself to be dead the other standing by him passionately bewailed the death of his companion and his own poverty not able to give him burial Epiphanius pitied the man perswaded him to bear his loss patiently and not to expect that his companion should in this world rise any more bid him take care for his burial and withal gave him what was sufficient for it No sooner was he gone out of sight but the beggar comes to his companion jogs him with his foot and commends him for so ingeniously acting the cheat Rise said he and with what we have got let 's be merry and jolly to day But alas the Comedy was turned into a tragick scene the man was really dead and could not be recovered by all his cries or stirring which his companion no sooner perceived but with all hast makes after the Bishop cries and tears his hair confesses the cheat and begs that his companion might be restored to life but all in vain the Bishop bids him be content and tells him that God would not undo what he had done Leaving a fair warning to men says the Historian that the great God who sees and hears all things reckons those â—â—â—â—keries that are put upon his servants as if done to himself But this only upon occasion of that great charity which they then upon all occasions extended to the poor The truth is they then looked upon the poor as the treasure and ornament of the Church by whom as by bills of Exchange they returned their estates into the other world When Decius the Emperour demanded of Laurentius the Deacon of the Church of Rome the Churches treasures he promised after three days to produce them in which time having gathered together the blind and the lame the infirm and the maim at the time appointed he brought them into the Palace and when the Emperour asked for the treasures he had promised to bring with
whereby leave was given to persons going into another Diocess either to be Ordained by the Bishop of that place or if ordain'd already to be admitted and incorporated into the Clergy of that Church Upon which account the ancient Councils every where provide that no stranger shall either receive ordination at the hands of another Bishop or exercise any ministerial act in another Diocess without the consent and dimissory Letters of the Bishop of that place from whence he comes The third were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 letters of Peace granted by the Bishop to the poor that were oppressed and such as fled to the Church for its protection and assistance but esp ecially to such of the Clergy as were to go out of one Diocess into another it being directed to the Bishop of that Diocess that he would receive him that so he might take no offence but that peaceable concord and agreement might be maintained between them By these arts the prudence of those times sought to secure the peace of the Church and as much as might be prevent all dissentions that might arise And where matters of any greater moment fell out how quickly did they flock together to compose and heal them Hence those many Synods and Councils that were conven'd to umpire differences to explain or define Articles of Faith to condemn and suppress the disturbers of the Church and innovators in Religion What infinite care did the good Emperour Constantine take for composing the Arrian controversies which then began first to infect and over-run the world How much his heart was set upon it his sollicitous thoughts taken up about it how many troublesome days and restless nights it cost him with what strong and nervous arguments what affectionate intreaties he presses it may be seen in that excellent Letter yet extant in his Life which he wrote to the Authors of those impious and unhappy controversies But when this would not do he summon'd the great Council of Nice consisting of three hundred and eighteen Bishops and in his Speech at the opening of that Council conjur'd them by all that was dear and sacred to agree and to compose those dissentions which were risen in the Church which he seriously protested he looked upon as more grievous and dangerous than any war whatsoever and that they created greater trouble and inquietude to his mind than all the other affairs of his Empire And when several of the Bishops then in Council had preferred Libells and Accusations one against another without ever reading them he bundled and seal'd them all up together and having reconciled and made them friends produc'd the papers and immediately threw them into the fire before their faces So passionately desirous was that good Prince to extinguish the flames and to redeem the peace of the Church at any rate Were any ejected and thrown out of the Church of which there might be a suspicion of private grudges or designs the Nicene Council wisely provided That in every Province a Synod should be held twice a year where all the Bishops meeting together might discuss the case and compose the difference Or as Joseph the Egyptian in his Arabick version of that Canon tells us an Arbitrator was to be appointed between the differing parties to take up the quarrel that it might not be a scandal to Religion Nor did there want meek and peaceable-minded men who valued the publick welfare before any private and personal advantage and could make their own particular concerns strike sail when the peace and interest of the Church called for it When great contests and confusions were raised by some perverse and unquiet persons about the See of Constantinople then possest by Gregory Nazianzen he himself stood up in the midst of the Assembly and told the Bishops how unfit it was that they who were preachers of peace to others should fall out amongst themselves beg'd of them even by the Sacred Trinity to manage their affairs calmly and peaceably and if I says he be the Jonas that raises the storm throw me into the Sea and let these storm and tempests cease I am willing to undergo what ever you have a mind to and though innocent and unblameable yet for your peace and quiet sake am content to be banished the throne and to be cast out of the City only according to the Prophets counsel be careful to love truth and peace And therewith freely resigned his Bishoprick though legally setled in it by the express command and warrant of the Emperour and the universal desires and acclamations of the people The same excellent temper ruled in S. Chrysostome one of his successours in that See when having elegantly pressed the unity of the Church and refuted those petty cavils which his adversaries had against himself But if you says he to his people suspect these things of us we are ready to deliver up our place and power to whomsoever you will only let the Church be preserved in peace and unity This was the brave and noble disposition of mind to which S. Clemens sought to reduce the Corinthians after they had fallen into a little Schism and disorder Who is there among you says he of that generous temper that compassionate and charitable disposition Let him say if this Sedition these Schisms and contentions have arisen through my means or upon my account I 'le depart and be gone whithersoever you please and will do what the people shall command only let Christs sheep-fold together with the Elders that are placed over it be kept in peace Nay when good men were most zealous about the main and foundation-articles of Faith so as sometimes rather to hazard Peace than to betray the Truth yet in matters of indifferency and such as only concern'd the rituals of Religion they mutually bore with one another without any violation of that Charity which is the great law of Christianity Thus in that famous controversie about the keeping of Easter so much agitated between the Eastern and Western Churches Irenaeus in a Letter to Pope Victor who of all that ever sat in that chair had raised the greatest stirs about it tells him that Bishops in former times however they differed about the observation of it yet alwayes maintain'd an intire concord and fellowship with one another the Churches being careful to maintain a peaceable communion though differing in some particular Rites and Ceremonies yea even when their rites and customs seemed to clash by meeting together at the same place Thus when Polycarp came to Rome from the Churches of the East to treat with Pope Anicetus about this and some other affairs though they could not satisfie each other to yield the controversie yet they kissed and embraced one another with mutual endearments received the Holy Communion together and Anicetus to do the greater honour to Polycarp gave him leave to celebrate and consecrate the Eucharist in his Church and at last they parted in
more than ordinary rank and dignity or of a more tender and delicate Constitution Chrysostome determines that in chastising and punishing their offences they be dealt withal in a more peculiar manner than other men lest by holding them under over-rigorous penalties they should be tempted to fly out into despair and so throwing off the reins of modesty and the care of their own happiness and salvation should run headlong into all manner of vice and wickedness So wisely did the prudence and piety of those times deal with offenders neither letting the reins so loose as to patronize presumption or encourage any man to sin nor yet holding them so strait as to drive men into despair The fourth and last circumstance concerns the Persons by whom this discipline was administred now though 't is true that this affair was managed in the Publick Congregation and seldom or never done without the consent and approbation of the people as Cyprian more than once and again expresly tells us yet was it ever accounted a ministerial act and properly belonged to them Tertullian speaking of Church censures adds that the Elders that are approv'd and have attain'd that honour not by purchase but testimony preside therein and Firmilian Bishop of Caesarea Cappadocia in a Letter to S. Cyprian speaking of the Majores natu the Seniors that preside in the Church tells us that to them belongs the power of baptizing imposing hands viz. in penance and ordination By the Bishop it was primarily and usually administred the determining the time and manner of repentance and the conferring pardon upon the penitent sinner being acts of the highest power and jurisdiction and therefore reckoned to appertain to the highest order in the Church Therefore 't is provided by the Illiberine Council that penance shall be prescribed by none but the Bishop only in case of necessity such as sickness and danger of death by leave and command from the Bishop the Presbyter or Deacon might impose penance and absolve Accordingly we find Cyprian amongst other directions to his Clergy how to carry themselves towards the lapsed giving them this that if any were over-taken with sickness or present danger they should not stay for his coming but the sick person should make confession of his sins to the next Presbyter or if a Presbyter could not be met with to a Deacon that so laying hands upon him he might depart in the peace of the Church But though while the number of Christians was small and the bounds of particular Churches little Bishops were able to manage these and other parts of their office in their own persons yet soon after the task began to grow too great for them and therefore about the time of the Decian persecution when Christians were very much multiplyed and the number of the lapsed great it seem'd good to the prudence of the Church partly for the ease of the Bishop and partly to provide for the modesty of persons in being brought before the whole Church to confess every crime to appoint a publick penitentiary some holy grave and prudent Presbyter whose office it was to take the confession of those sins which persons had committed after baptism and by prayers fastings and other exercises of mortification to prepare them for absolution He was a kind of Censor morum to enquire into the lives of Christians to take an account of their failures and to direct and dispose them to repentance This Office continued for some hundreds of years till it was abrogated by Nectarius S. Chrysostomes predecessor in the See of Constantinople upon the occasion of a notorious scandal that arose about it A woman of good rank and quality had been with the Penitentiary and confessed all her sins committed since baptism he enjoyn'd her to give up her self to fasting and prayer but not long after she came to him and confessed that while she was conversant in the Church to attend upon those holy exercises she had been tempted to commit folly and leudness with a Deacon of the Church whereupon the Deacon was immediately cast out but the people being excedingly troubled at the scandal and the Holy Order hereby exposed to the scorn and derision of the Gentiles Nectarius by the advice of Eudaemon a Presbyter of that Church wholly took away the Office of the publick Penitentiary leaving every one to the care and liberty of his own conscience to prepare himself for the Holy Sacrament This account Socrates assures us he had from Eudaemon's own mouth and Sozomen adds that almost all Bishops follow'd Nectarius his example in abrogating this Office But besides the ordinary and standing office of the Clergy we find even some of the Laity the Martyrs and Confessors that had a considerable hand in absolving penitents and restoring them to the communion of the Church For the understanding of which we are to know that as the Christians of those times had a mighty reverence for Martyrs and Confessors as the great Champions of Religion so the Martyrs took upon them to dispense in extraordinary cases for it was very customary in times of persecution for those who through fear of suffering had lapsed into Idolatry to make their address to the Martyrs in prison and to beg peace of them that they might be restored to the Church who considering their petitions and weighing the circumstances of their case did frequently grant their requests mitigate their penance and by a note signed under their hands signifie what they had done to the Bishop who taking an account of their condition absolved and admitted them to communion Of these Libelli or Books granted by the Martyrs to the lapsed there is mention in Cyprian at every turn who complains they were come to that excessive number that thousands were granted almost every day this many of them took upon them to do with great smartness and authority and without that respect that was due to the Bishops as appears from the note written to Cyprian by Lucian in the name of the Confessors which because 't is but short and withall shews the form and manners of those pacifick Libells it may not be amiss to set it down and thus it runs All the Confessors to Cyprian the Bishop Greeting Know that we have granted peace to all those of whom you have had an account what they have done how they have behaved themselves since the commission of their crimes and we would that these presents should by you be imparted to the rest of the Bishops We wish you to maintain peace with the holy Martyrs Written by Lucian of the Clergy the Exorcist and Reader being present This was looked upon as very peremptory and magisterial and therefore of this confidence and presumption and carelesness in promiscuously granting these letters of peace Cyprian not without reason complains in an Epistle to the Clergy of Rome Besides these Libells granted by the Martyrs there
being part of the form used in their publick Service Let us pray that the most gracious and merciful God would hear the prayers of the Catechumens and what it was they prayed for he presently add viz. that they might no longer remain in that state Upon these accounts initiation by Baptism but especially admission to the Lords Supper is amongst other titles in the Writers of those times called Desiderata because so earnestly desired and sought for by those that were not yet taken in The truth is till persons arrived at this state they were not accounted Christians or but in a large sense as Candidates that stood in order to it and therefore could not satisfie themselves either to live or dye in that condition wherein they wanted the great seals and pledges of their Christianity Thirdly to beget in mens minds the higher esteem and veneration for these religious mysteries nothing producing a greater contempt even in sacred things than too much openness and familiarity So that a little obscurity and concealment might seem necessary to vindicate them from contempt and secure the majesty and reverence that was due to them This made the Fathers Seniors of the Church says S. Basil in prescribing Rites and Laws leave many things in the dark behind the vail and curtain that they might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preserve the sacredness and dignity that was due to the mysteries of Religion For a thing says he cannot properly be said to be a mystery when 't is once expos'd to every vulgar and common ear But of this enough if not too much And as they were careful to keep the higher parts of Christianity within the cognizance of the faithful so they were not less careful to teach and instruct the Catechumens in all those principles they were capable of being taught This at their first coming over was done privately and at home by persons deputed on purpose to that office by the Bishop as Balsamon clearly intimates till they were sufficiently instructed in the first and more intelligible principles of the faith Then they were admitted into the Congregation and suffered to be present at some parts of the Divine Service especially the Sermons which were made for the building them up unto higher measures of knowledge which being ended they were commanded to depart the Church not being suffered to be present at the more solemn Rites especially the celebration of the Lords Supper and in this manner they were trained up till they were initiated by baptism and taken into the highest form of Christians How long persons remained in the state of the Catechumens is difficult to determine it not being always nor in all places alike but longer in some and shorter in others and probably according to the capacity of the persons The Apostolick Constitutions appoint three years for the Catechumen to be instructed but provide withal that if any one be diligent and virtuous and have a ripeness of understanding for the thing he may be admitted to Baptism sooner for say they not the space of time but the fitness and manners of men are to be regarded in this matter The next sort were the Penitents such as for some misdemeanours were under the censures and severity of the Church and were gradually to obtain absolution from it Of these there were several degrees five especially mentioned by S. Gregory of Neo-Caesarea who liv'd about the year 250. The first were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as wept and lamented and were rather Candidates to be received into the order of Penitents than Penitents properly so called These usually stood in a squalid and mournful habit at the Church-Porch with tears and great importunity begging of the Faithful as they went in to pray for them The second were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hearers who were admitted to hear the holy Scriptures read and expounded to the people Their station was at the upper end of the Narthex or first part of the Church and were to depart the Congregation at the same time with the Catechumens The third Class of Penitents was that of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prostrate because service being ended they fell down before the Bishop who together with the Congregation falling down and making confession in their behalf after rais'd them up and laid his hands upon them These stood within the body of the Church next the Pulpit or Reading-Pew and were to depart together with the Catechumens The fourth were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Consistentes such as stayed with the rest of the Congregation and did not depart with the Catechumens but after they and the other Penitents were gone out stayed and joined in prayer and singing but not in receiving the Sacrament with the faithful These after some time were advanced into the fifth and last order of the Communicantes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Gregory calls it and were admitted to the participation of the holy Sacrament This was the state of the Penitents in the primitive Church Persons having fully passed through the state of the Catechumenate became then immediate Candidates of Baptism presented their names to the Bishop and humbly prostrating themselves begged that they might be entred into the Church These were called Competentes because they did Competere gratiam Christi sue for the grace of Christ conferred in Baptism The last rank was that of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Faithful who having been baptized and confirmed and having approved themselves by the long train and course of a strict pious life were then admitted to the participation of the Lords Supper which being the highest and most venerable mystery of the Christian Religion was not then rashly given to any but to such only as had run through all other degrees and by a course of piety evidenced themselves to be such real and faithful Christians as that the highest mysteries and most solemn parts of Religion might be committed to them This was the highest order and looked upon with great regard and for any of this rank to lapse and be overtaken with a fault cost them severer penances than were imposed upon the inferiour forms of Christians This in short was the state of the people But because 't is not possible any body or community of men should be regularly managed without some particular persons to superintend direct and govern the affairs of the whole Society therefore we are next to enquire what persons there were in the primitive Church that were peculiarly set apart to steer its affairs and to attend upon the publick Offices and Ministrations of it That God always had a peculiar people whom he selected for himself out of the rest of mankind is too evident to need any proof Such were the Patriarchs and the holy seed of old such the Jews chosen by him above all other Nations in the world This was his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Lords Table where they made their offerings for the poor and when poor and rich had their meales together And hence it was ever accounted part of the Deacons Office as to take care of the poor and to distribute the monies given for their relief and maintenance so to wait upon the celebration of the Eucharist which being consecrated by the Bishop or Presbyter the Deacon delivered the Sacramental elements to the people Besides this they were wont also to preach and to baptize and were employed in many parts of the publick Service especially in guiding and directing of the people The number of them in any one place was usually restrained to seven this being the number originally instituted by the Apostles and which might not be altered although the City was never so great and numerous as 't is in the last Canon of the Neocaesarean Council As the Presbyters were to the Bishop so the Deacons were to the Presbyters to be assistent to them and to give them all due respect and reverence And therefore when some of them began to take too much upon them to distribute the Sacrament before the Bishop or Presbyter and to take place amongst the Presbyters the Council of Nice took notice of it as a piece of bold and saucy usurpation severely commanded them to know their place and to contain themselves within their own bounds and measures and neither to meddle with the Sacrament but in their order nor to sit down before the Presbyters unless it be by their leave and command as 't is expressed by the Laodicean Synod Accordingly the first Council of Arles forbids the Deacons to do any thing of themselves but to reserve the honour to the Presbyters Out of the body of these Deacons there was usually one chosen to overlook the rest the Arch-Deacon an Office supposed to have been of good antiquity in the Church and of great authority especially in after times being generally styled the Eye of the Bishop to inspect all parts and places of his Diocess This was he that in the Church of Rome was called the Cardinal Deacon who as Onuphrius tell us was at first but one though the number encreased afterwards While Churches were little and the services not many the Deacons themselves were able to discharge them but as these encreased so did their labours and therefore 't was thought fit to take in some inferiour Officers under them This gave being to Subdeacons who were to be assistent to the Deacon as the Deacon to the Presbyter and he to the Bishop One great part of his work was to wait at the Church-doors in the time of publick Worship to usher in and to bring out the several Orders of the Catechumens and Penitents that none might mistake their proper stations and that no confusion or disorder might arise to the disturbance of the Congregation When he was first taken in I cannot find but he is mentioned in an Epistle of the Roman Clergie to them of Carthage about S. Cyprians retirement and elsewhere very often in Cyprian's Epistles Where he also speaks of the Acolythus what his proper business was is not so certain by some his Office is said to have been this to Follow as the world implies or to go along with the Bishop in the quality of an honourable attendant to be ready at hand to minister to him and to be a companion and witness of his honest and unblameable conversation in case any evil fame should arise that might endeavour to blast his reputation But by others he is said to have been a Taper-bearer to carry the Lights which were set up at the reading of the Gospel And this seems to be clear from the fourth Council of Carthage where at his ordination he is appointed to receive at the Archdeacons hand a Candlestick with a Taper that he may know 't is the duty of his place to light up the Lights in the Church This might very well be in those times but 't is certain the Office of Acolythus was in use long before that custom of setting up Lights at the reading of the Gospel was brought into the Church By Cyprian also is mentioned the Office of the Exorcist whose business was to attend the Catechumens and the Energumeni or such as were possessed of the Devil For after the miraculous power of casting out Devils began to cease or at least not to be so common as it was these possessed persons used to come to the out-parts of the Church where a person was appointed to exorcise them i.e. to pray over them in such prayers as were peculiarly composed for those occasions and this he did in the publick name of the whole Church the people also at the same time praying within by which means the possessed person was delivered from the tyranny of the evil spirit without any such charms and conjurations and other unchristian forms and rites which by degrees crept into this Office and are at this day in use in the Church of Rome Besides to the Exorcists Office it belonged to instruct the Catechumens and to train them up in the first principles of the Christian Faith in which sense the Exorcist is by Harmenopulus explained by Catechist and to exorcise says Balsamon is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to instruct unbelievers Next to the Exorcist was the Lector or Reader mentioned frequently by S. Cyprian whose business was to stand near the Ambo or Pulpit and to read those portions of holy Scripture which were appointed to be read as principal parts of the Divine Service This Office Julian who was afterwards Emperour when a young Student at Nicomedia took upon him and became a Reader in that Church which he did only to blind his Cousin Constantius who began to suspect him as inclining to Paganism to which he openly revolted afterwards and became a bitter and virulent enemy to Christians making an ill use of those Scriptures which he had once privately studied and publickly read to the people I know not whether it may be worth the while to take notice of the Ostiarii or Door-keepers answerable to the Nethinims in the Jewish Church who were to attend the Church Doors at times of publick meetings to keep out notorious Hereticks Jewes and Gentiles from entring into the Christian Assemblies it doubtless took its rise in the times of persecutions Christians then being forc'd to keep their meetings as private and clancular as they could and to guard their Assemblies with all possible diligence lest some Jew or Infidel stealing in should have gone and accused them before the Magistrate What other Officers there were or whether any at all in those times in and about the Church will not be worth our labour to enquire To these Offices they were set apart by solemn rites of prayer and imposition of hands a ceremony so far as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is
made against their spiritual Guides and Governours and therefore according to the right art of Orators he first commends them for their eminent subjection to them that he might with the more advantage reprove and censure them for their schism afterwards which he does severely in the latter part of the Epistle and towards the end of it exhorts those who had laid the foundation of the Sedition to become subject to their Presbyters and being instructed to repentance to bow the knees of their hearts to lay aside the arrogant and insolent boldness of their tongues and to learn to subject and submit themselves The truth is Bishops and Ministers were then looked upon as the common Parents of Christians whom as such they honoured and obeyed and to whom they repaired for counsel and direction in all important cases 'T is plain from several passages in Tertullian that none could lawfully marry till they had first advised with the Bishop and Clergy of the Church and had asked and obtained their leave which probably they did to secure the person from marrying with a Gentile or any of them that were without and from the inconveniencies that might ensue upon such a match No respect no submission was thought great enough whereby they might do honour to them they were wont to kiss their hands to embrace their feet and at their going from or returning home or indeed their coming unto any place to wait upon them and either to receive or dismiss them with the universal confluence of the people Happy they thought themselves if they could but entertain them in their houses and bless their roofs with such welcome guests Amongst the various ways of kindness which Constantine the Great shewed to the Clergie the Writer of his life tells us that he used to treat them at his own Table though in the meanest and most despicable habit and never went a journey but he took some of them along with him reckoning that thereby he made himself surer of the propitious and favourable influence of the divine presence What honours he did them at the Council of Nice where he refused to sit down till they had given him intimation with what magnificent gifts and entertainments he treated them afterwards the same Author relates at large The truth is the piety of that devout and excellent Prince thought nothing too good for those who were the messengers of God and ministers of holy things and so infinitely tender was he of their honour as to profess that if at any time he should spye a Bishop overtaken in an immodest and uncomely action he would cover him with his own imperial Robe rather than others should take notice of it to the scandal of his place and person And because their spiritual authority and relation might not be sufficient to secure them from the contempt of rude and prophane persons therefore the first Christian Emperours invested them with power even in Civil cases as the way to beget them respect and authority amongst the people Thus Constantine as Sozomon tells us and he sets it down as a great argument of that Princes reverence for Religion ordained that persons contending in Law might if they pleased remove their cause out of the Civil Courts and appeal to the judgment of the Bishops whose sentence should be firm and take place before that of any other Judges as if it had been immediately passed by the Emperour himself and cases thus judged by Bishops all Governours of Provinces and their Officers were presently to put into execution which was afterwards ratified by two Laws one of Arcadius another of Honorius to that purpose This power the Bishops sometimes delegated to their inferior Clergy making them Judges in these cases as appears from what Socrates reports of Silvanus Bishop of Troas that finding a male-administration of this power he took it out of the hands of his Clergie and devolved the hearing and determining causes over to the Laity And to name no more S. Augustine more than once and again tells us how much he was crowded and even oppressed in deciding the contests and causes of secular persons It seems they thought themselves happy in those days if they could have their causes heard and determined by Bishops A pious Bishop and a faithful Minister was in those days dearer to them than the most valuable blessings upon earth and they could want any thing rather than be without them when Chrysostom was driven by the Empress into banishment the people as he went along burst into tears and cryed out ' t was better the Sun should not shine than that John Chrysostom should not preach and when through the importunity of the people he was recalled from his former banishment and diverted into the Suburbs till he might have an opportunity to make a publick vindication of his innocency the people not enduring such delays the Emperour was forced to send for him into the City the people universally meeting him and conducting him to his Church with all expressions of reverence and veneration Nay while he was yet Presbyter of the Church of Antioch so highly was he loved and honoured by the people of that place that though he was chosen to the See of Constantinople and sent for by the Emperours Letters though their Bishop made an Oration on purpose to perswade them to it yet would they by no means be brought to part with him and when the Messengers by force attempted to bring him away he was forced to prevent a tumult to withdraw and hide himself the people keeping a Guard about him lest he should be taken from them nor could the Emperour or his Agents with all their arts effect it till he used this wile he secretly wrote to the Governour of Antioch who pretending to Chrysostom that he had concerns of moment to impart to him invited him to a private place without the City where seizing upon him by Mules which he had in readiness he conveyed him to Constantinople where that his welcome might be the more magnificent the Emperour commanded that all persons of eminency both Ecclesiastical and Civil should with all possible pomp and state go six miles to meet him Of Nazianzen who sat in the same Chair of Constantinople before him I find that when he would have left that Bishoprick by reason of the stirs that were about it and delivered up himself to solitude and a private life as a thing much more suitable to his humour and genius many of the people came about him with tears beseeching him not to forsake his Flock which he had hitherto fed with so much sweat and labour They could not then lose their spiritual Guides but they looked upon themselves as Widows and Orphans resenting their death with a general sorrow and lamentation as if they had lost a common Father Nazianzen reports that when his
Father who was Bishop of but a little Diocess lay very sick and all other remedies proved unsuccessful the people generally flocked to Church and though it was then the joyful time of Easter broke out into mournful and passionate complaints and with the most earnest prayers and tears besought God for his life And of Basil Bishop of Caesarea he tell us that when he lay a dying the whole City came about him not able to bear his departure from them praying as if they would have laid hands upon his soul and by force detained it in his body they were says he even distracted with the thoughts of so great a loss nor was there any who would not have been willing to have been deprived of part of his own life might it have added unto his His Funeral was solemnized with all possible testimonies of love and honourable attendance and with the abundant tears not only of Christians but of Jews and Heathens the confluence so vast that many were pressed to death in the crowd and sent to bear him company to his long home And that we may see that their respect did not lye meerly in a few kind words or external protestations they made it good in more real and evident demonstrations by providing liberal maintenance for them parting at first with their own estates to supply the uses of the Church and after that making no less large than frequent contributions which could not but amount to very considerable sums the piety of Christians daily adding to their liberality of which we may make some estimate by what the Heathen Historian with a little kind of envy relates only of the Church of Rome and doubtless it was so in some proportion in other places that the profits of the Clergie arising from oblations chiefly was so great as to enable them to live in a Prince-like state and plenty And not long after it became the object not only of admiration but envy insomuch that Chrysostom was forced to make one whole Sermon against those that envied the wealth of the Clergie It was also the great care of those times to free them from what might be either scandalous or burthensom to their calling Constantine decreed that the Orthodox Clergy should be exempt from all Civil Offices or whatever might hinder their attendance upon the services of the Church his Son Constantius that Bishops in many cases should not be chargeable in the secular Courts but be tryed in an Assembly of Bishops which privilege was extended by Honorius to all the Clergie that they should be tryed before their Bishops before whom also he ordained that all causes properly belonging to Religion should be brought and be determined by them and by another constitution that for the veneration that is due to the Church all Ecclesiastical causes should be decided with all possible speed And to name no more that the persons of Ministers might be secured from foreign attempts he and his Colleague Arcadius made a Law that whosoever did offer any violence to them should upon conviction or confession of the fact be punished with death and that the ministers of Civil justice should not stay till the Bishop complained of the injury that was done it being probable that he would rather incline to mercy and forgiveness but that every one in this case should be admitted and encouraged to prefer and prosecute the charge and in case the rude multitude should by arms or otherwise obstruct execution and that the powers of that place could not see it done that then they should call in the assistance of the Governour of the Province to see Justice put into execution And because next to his person nothing is so dear to a Clergie-man as his credit and reputation therefore the Emperour Honorius took care by a Law that whosoever be he a person of the highest rank should charge any Clergie-man with Crimes which he was not able to make good he himself should be publickly accounted vile and infamous it being but just and equal says the Law that as guilt should be punished and offenders reckoned as spots and blemishes to the Church so that injured innocency should be righted and maintained How infinitely tender the first general Council of Constantinople was in this case to secure the honour and good name of Bishops and Clergie-men against the malicious insinuations and charges of false accusers may appear by the large provision which they make about it in the sixth Canon of that Council and because it sometimes so happens that a mans enemies are those of his own house therefore the Apostolical Canons ordain that if any Clergy-man reproach and defame a Bishop he shall be deposed from his Ministry for thou mayest not says the Canon speak evil of the Ruler of thy people but if it be a Presbyter or Deacon whom he thus reproaches he shall be suspended from the execution of his Office So sacred and venerable did they then account the persons and concernments of those who ministred in the affairs of Divine Worship CHAP. IX Of their usual Worship both private and publick The Christians worship of God in their Families discovered Their usual times of prayer Praying before and after meals Singing of Psalms and reading the Scriptures at the same time Frequency in prayer noted in divers instances Their great reverence for the holy Scriptures in reading expounding committing them to memory Several instances of it Their care in instructing their Families in divine things Singing of Psalms mixed with their usual labours An account of their publick Worship The order of the Service in their Assemblies Prayer Reading the Scriptures Two Lessons out of each Testament Clemens his Epistle and the Writings of other pious men read in the Church Singing a part of the publick Service How ancient What those Hymns were The Sermon or discourse upon what subject usually Such discourses called Tractatus and why More Sermons than one at the same time Sermons preached in the afternoon as well as in the morning The mighty concourse and confluence of people to these publick Solemnities The departure of the Catechumens Penitents c. The Missa Catechumenorum what The Missa Fidelium The word missa or masse whence and how used in the Writers of those times The singular reverence they shewed in these Duties Great modesty and humility Praying with hands lift up in the form of a Cross why They prayed either kneeling or standing Sitting in prayer noted as a posture of great irreverence Praying towards the East The universality of this Custom The reasons of it enquired into Their reverence in hearing Gods Word The people generally stood Standing up at the Gospels The remarkable piety and devotion of Constantine the Great No departing the Congregation till the blessing was given THus far we have discovered the piety of those ancient times as to those necessary circumstances that relate to the
off the sacred obligation of thy Baptism and the true faith which thou didst then profess and take upon thee Thesese were the main and most considerable circumstances wherewith Baptism was administred in the primitive Church some whereof were by degrees antiquated and disused other rites there were that belonged only to particular Churches and which as they were suddenly taken up so were as quickly laid aside others were added in after-times till they encreased so fast that the usage and the number of them became absurd and burdensom as may appear by the office for Baptism in the Romish Ritual at this day As a conclusion to this Chapter I had once thought to have treated concerning Confirmation which ever was a constant appendage to Baptism and had noted some things to that purpose but shall supersede that labour finding it so often and so fully done by others in just discourses that nothing considerable can be added to them only I shall give this brief and general account of it all persons baptized in the ancient Church according to their age and capacity persons adult some little time after Baptism Children when arrived to years of competent ripeness and maturity were brought to the Bishop there further to confirm and ratifie that compact which they had made with God in Baptism and by some solemn acts of his ministry to be themselves confirmed and strengthned by having the grace and blessing of God conferred upon them to enable them to discharge that great promise and engagement which they had made to God This was usually performed with the Ceremony of Vnction the person confirmed being anointed by the Bishop or in his absence by an inferiour Minister and indeed Unction was an ancient rite used in the Jewish Church to denote the conferring of gifts or graces upon persons and thence probably amongst other reasons as many other usages were might be derived into the Christian Church though a learned man is of opinion that unction was never used in confirmation but where the person being in case of necessity baptized by some of the inferior Clergy had not been before anointed otherwise those who had received compleat Baptism were not afterwards anointed at their confirmation for which the Council of Orange is most express and clear And indeed that Confirmation was often administred without this unction no man can doubt that knows the state of those times being done only by solemn imposition of the Bishops hands and by devout and pious prayers that the persons confirmed might grow in grace and the knowledge of Christ and be enabled to perform those vows and purposes and that profession of Faith which they had before embraced in Baptism and then again owned before the whole Congregation Till this was done they were not accounted compleat Christians nor admitted to the holy Communion nor could challenge any actual right to those great priviledges of Christianity whence it is that the Ancients so often speak of Confirmation as that which did perfect and consummate Christians as being a means to confer greater measures of that grace that was but begun in Baptism upon all which accounts and almost exactly according to the primitive usage it is still retained and practised in our own Church at this day and happy were it for us were it kept up in its due power and vigour sure I am 't is too plain that many of our unhappy breaches and controversies in Religion do if not wholly in a great measure owe their birth and rise to the neglect and contempt of this excellent usage of the Church CHAP. XI Of the Lords Supper and the administration of it in the ancient Church The persons dispensing this Ordinance who The persons Communicating the Baptized or the Faithful Suspension from this Ordinance according to the nature of the offence The Eucharist sent home to them that could not be present The case of Serapion A custom in some places to give the Sacrament to persons when dead if they dyed before they could receive it and why The Eucharist kept by persons at home Sent abroad This laid aside and in its stead Eulogiae or pieces of consecrated Bread sent from one Church to another as tokens of communion The time of its administration sometimes in the morning sometimes at night varied according to the peace they enjoyed How oft they received the Eucharist At first every day This continued in Cyprian's time Four times a week Afterwards less frequented The usual place of receiving the Church ordinarily not lawful to consecrate it elsewhere Oblations made by persons before their communicating Their Agapae or Love-Feasts what Whether before or after the Sacrament How long continued in the Church The manner of celebrating this Sacrament collected out of the most ancient Authors The holy Kiss The general prayer for the Church and the whole world The consecration of the Sacrament the form of it out of S. Ambrose The Bread common Bread The sacramental Wine mixed with Water This no necessary part of the institution Why probably used in those Countries The posture of receiving not always the same Singing Psalms during the time of celebration Followed with prayer and thanksgiving The whole action concluded with the Kiss of peace THE holy Eucharist or Supper of our Lord being a rite so solemnly instituted and of such great importance in the Christian Religion had place accordingly amongst the Ancients in their publick offices and devotions In speaking to which I shall much what observe the same method I did in treating concerning Baptism considering the persons the time the place and the manner of its celebration The persons administring were the ordinary Pastors and Governours of the Church those who were set apart for the ministration of holy offices the institution was begun by our Lord himself and the administration of it by him committed to his Apostles and to their ordinary successors to the end of the world We find in Tertullian that they never received it from any but the hand of the President which must either be meant of the particular custom of that Church where he lived or of consecration only for otherwise the custom was when the Bishop or President had by solemn Prayers and blessings consecrated the sacramental elements for the Deacons to distribute them to the people as well to those that were absent as to them that were present as Justin Martyr expresly affirms and as the custom generally was afterwards For the persons communicating at this Sacrament at first the whole Church or body of Christians within such a space that had embraced the doctrine of the Gospel and been baptized into the faith of Christ used constantly to meet together at the Lords Table As Christians multiplied and a more exact discipline became necessary none were admitted to this ordinance till they had arrived at the degree of the Faithful for who ever were in the state of the Catechumens i.
before the celebration of the Eucharist which was never administred till the wole Church met together That therefore which the Apostle reproves and corrects is their indecency and intemperance commanding both rich and poor to wait for one another and to eat this common meal together that they might the more orderly and unanimously pass to the celebration of the Lords Supper In after Ages this Feast was not till the Communion was over when the Congregation feasted together and so departed and so Chrysostom expresly tells us 't was in his days besides nothing is more obvious than that it was customary in those times for persons to fast till they had received the Communion I know a very learned man is of opinion that these Love-feasts were not kept at the same time with the celebration of the Eucharist but besides that his Arguments are not conclusive the whole stream of learned Writers runs full against him These Feasts continued for some Ages till great inconveniences being found in them they were prohibited to be kept in Churches by the Laodicean Synod and after that by the Council of Carthage which though but Provincial or National Councils yet the Decrees were afterwards ratified by the sixth Trullan Council and the custom in a short time dwindled into nothing These things being premised the sacramental elements prepared and all things ready they proceeded to the action it self which following for the main the account that is given us by S. Cyril of Jerusalem and taking in what we find in others was usually managed after this manner First the Deacon brought water to the Bishop and the Presbyters that stood round about the Table to wash their hands signifying the purity that ought to be in those that draw nigh to God according to that of the Psalmist I will wash my hands in innocency and so will I compass thine Altar O Lord then the Deacon cryed out aloud mutually embrace and kiss one another this holy kiss was very ancient commonly used in the Apostles times and in the succeeding Ages of the Church but especially at the Sacrament as a sign of the unfeigned reconciliation of their minds and that all injuries and offences were blotted out according to our Lords command When thou bringest thy gift to the Altar and remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee leave thy gift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer thy gift this being done they fell to prayer the whole Congregation praying together with the Minister which therefore Justin Martyr calls the Common Prayer the form whereof in the Apostolical Constitutions is described at large for the universal peace and welfare of the Church for the tranquillity and quietness of the world for the prosperity of the age for wholesom weather and fruitful seasons for all sorts of persons for Kings and Emperours and all in authority for Souldiers and Armies for believers and unbelievers for friends and companions for the sick and distressed and in short for all that stood in need of help This general prayer is frequently mentioned by the ancient Fathers as that which was at the beginning of the Communion Service though S. Cyrill place it a little later as doubtless it was in his time After this followed the mutual salutation of the minister and people the Minister saying the Lord be with you to whom the People answered and with thy spirit the Minister cryed lift up your hearts nothing being more sutable says S. Cyrill at this time than that we should shake off all worldly cares and exalt our hearts to God in heaven the people truly assenting and yielding to it answered we lift them up unto the Lord the Minister proceeded let us give thanks unto the Lord for what more fit than thankfulness to God and a high resentment of such favours and blessings to this the people returned it is meet and just so to do Whereupon the Minister proceeded to the prayer of Consecration the form whereof we have in the Apostolical Constitutions wherein he express'd huge thankfulness to God for the death resurrection and ascension of his Son for the shedding of his blood for us and the celebration of it in this Sacrament for condescending to admit them to such mighty benefits and praying for a closer unity to one another in the same mystical body concluding usually with the Lords Prayer and the hearty and universal acclamation of Amen by all that were present this done the Minister cryed out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy things belong to holy persons the people answering there is one holy one Lord Jesus Christ then he exhorted them to a due participation of the holy mysteries which Cyrill tells us was done by way of a divine Hymn singing come taste and see that the Lord is good After this the Bishop or Presbyter took the sacramental elements sanctified then by a solemn benediction the form of consecration we have in S. Ambrose Lord make this oblation now prepared for us to become a reasonable and acceptable sacrifice this which is the figure of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ who the day before he suffered took the bread in his sacred hands looked up to heaven giving thanks to thee O holy Father almighty and everlasting God blessed it and having broken it gave it to his Apostles and Disciples saying Take eat all of it for this is my body which is broken for many likewise also after Supper he took the Cup that very day before he suffered looked up to heaven giving thanks to thee holy Father almighty and everlasting God and having blessed it gave it to his Apostles and Disciples saying Take and drink ye all of it for this is my blood After this he first brake the bread and delivering it to the Deacon he distributed it to the Communicants and after that the Cup which was likewise delivered to them for the custom of communicating under one kind only as is used in the Church of Rome was then unknown to the world nay and for above a thousand years after Christ. In some cases 't is true they dipt the Bread in the Wine as in the case of baptized infants to whom they administred the Eucharist in those primitive times and to very weak dying persons who would not otherwise have swallowed the bread and that by this means they might keep the Sacrament at home against all emergent occasions and this probably might in time make the way easier for introducing the Sacrament under the kind of Bread only Their sacramental Wine was generally diluted and mixed with water as is evident from Justin Martyr Irenaeus Cyprian and others Cyprian in a long Epistle expresly pleads for it as the only true and warrantable tradition derived from Christ and his Apostles and
Proconsul that as badly as they were used yet they ceased not to pray for the overthrow and expulsion of the common enemies for seasonable showers and either for the removing or mitigating publick evils begging of God day and night with the greatest instance and importunity for the peace and safety of their persecutors endeavouring to pacifie and propitiate God who was angry with the iniquities of the age Nor were they thus kind and good natur'd thus submissive and patient for want of power and because they knew not how to help it Tertullian answers in this case that if they thought it lawful to return evil for evil they could in one night with a few firebrands plentifully revenge themselves that they were no small and inconsiderable party and that they needed not betake themselves to the little arts of skulking revenges being able to appear in the capacity of open enemies that though but of yesterdays standing yet they had filled all places all Offices of the Empire and what wars were not they able to manage who could so willingly give up themselves to be slain did not the law of Christianity oblige them to be killed rather than to kill nay that they need not take up arms and rebel for their party was so numerous that should they but agree together to leave the Roman Empire and to go into some remote corner of the world the loss of so many members would utterly ruine it and they would stand amaz'd and affrighted at that solitude and desolation that would ensue upon it and have more enemies than loyal Subjects left amongst them whereas now they had the fewer enemies for having so many Christians The Christians then opposed not their enemies with the points of their swords but with solid Arguments and mild intreaties Thus when Julian the Emperour urg'd his army which was almost wholly made up of Christians to wicked counsels and the practices of idolatry they withstood him only with prayers and tears accounting this says my Author to be the only remedy against persecution So far were they from resisting or rebelling that they could quietly dye at the Emperours command even when they had power lying at their foot I cannot in this place omit the memorable instance of the Thebaean Legion being so exceedingly apposite and pertinent to my purpose and so remarkable as no age can furnish out such another instance I shall set down the story intirely out of the Author himself the account of their martyrdome written by Eucherius Bishop of Lyons who assures us he received the relation from very credible hands and it is thus Maximianus Caesar whom Dioclesian had lately taken to be his Colleague in the Empire a bad man and a bitter persecutor of the Christians was sent into France to suppress a mutiny and rebellion risen there to strengthen his Army there was added to it a band of Christians called the Thebaean Legion consisting according to the manner of the Romans of Six thousand six hundred sixty six faithful expert and resolute Souldiers Coming to Octodurus a place in Savoy and being ready to offer sacrifice to the gods he causes his Army to come together and commands them under a great penalty to swear by the Altars of their gods that they would unanimously fight against their enemies and persecute the Christians as enemies to the gods which the Thebaean Legion no sooner understood but they presently withdrew to Agaunum a place eight miles off call'd at this day S. Mauritzs from Mauricius the Commander of the Legion a place equally pleasant and strong being encompassed about with craggy and inaccessible rocks to avoid if it might be the wicked and sacrilegious command and to refresh themselves tyred with so long a march but the Emperour taking notice of the Army as they came to swear quickly miss'd the Legion and being angry sent Officers to them to require them forthwith to do it who enquiring what it was that they were commanded to do were told by the messengers that all the Souldiers had offered sacrifices and had taken the forementioned oath and that Caesar commanded them to return presently and do the like To whom the heads of the Legion mildly answered That for this reason they left Octodurus because they had heard they should be forced to sacrifice that being Christians and that they might not be defiled with the Altars of Devils they thought themselves oblig'd to worship the living God and to keep that Religion which they had entertain'd in the East to the last hour of their life that as they were a Legion they were ready to any service of the war but to return to him to commit sacriledge as he commanded they could not yield With this Answer the messengers returned and told the Emperour that they were resolved not to obey his Commands who being transported with anger began thus to vent his passion Do my Souldiers think thus to sleight my Royal Orders and the holy Rites of my Religion Had they only despised the Imperial Majesty it would have call'd for publick vengeance but together with the contempt of me an affront is offered to Heaven and the Roman Religion is as much despised as I am Let the obstinate Souldiers know that I am not only able to vindicate my self but to revenge the quarrel of my gods Let my faithful Servants make haste and dispatch every tenth man according as the fatal lot shall fall upon him By this equal death let those whose lot it shall be to die first know how able Maximian is severely to revenge both himself and his gods With that the command is given the Executioners sent the Emperours pleasure made known and every tenth man is put to death who chearfully offer'd their necks to the Executioners and the only contention amongst them was who should first undergo that glorious death This done the Legion is commanded to return to the rest of the Army Whereupon Mauritius the General of the Legion calling it a little aside thus bespake them I congratulate most excellent fellow-souldiers your courage and valour that for the love of Religion the command of Caesar has made no impression upon you you have seen your fellow-souldiers with minds full of joy undergoing a glorious death how much afraid was I lest being arm'd and how easie is it for such to do so you should under a pretence of defending them have endeavour'd to hinder their happy funerals See I am encompassed round with the bodies of my fellow-souldiers whom the dismal Executioner has torn from my side I am besprinkled with the blood of the Saints my clothes died with the reliques of their sacred blood and shall I doubt to follow their death whose example I so much congratulate and admire Shall I concern my self to think what the Emperour commands who is equally subject to the same law of mortality with my self I remember we once took this Military Oath that with the utmost hazard of our