Sin to worship kneeling which custom we also observe from Easter to Whitsontide § 8. The Elements being thus blessed distributed and received they afterwards sung an Hymn or Psalm to the Praise and Glory of God as Tertullian writes Then every one sings an Hymn to God either of his own Composition or out of the Holy Scriptures Then followed for a Conclusion a Prayer of Thanksgiving to God Almighty for his inestimable Grace and Mercy as the same Tertullian saith Prayer concludes this Feast To which was subjoined a Collection for the Poor When as Justin Martyr reports Every one that was able and willing gave according to his Ability and that that was gathered was committed to the care of the Bishop who relieved therewith the Orphans and Widows the Sick and Distressed Prisoners Travellers Strangers and in a Word all that had need thereof CHAP. VII § 1. Of the Circumstances of Publick Worship § 2. Of the Place thereof In Times of Peace fixed Places for that end metonymically called Churches § 3. How those Churches were built § 4. No Holiness in those Places § 5. Of the Time of Publick Worship § 6. The First Day of the Week an usual Time § 7. Celebrated with Joyfulness esteemed holy and spent in an holy manner § 8. Their Reasons for the Observation of this Day § 9. The usual Title of this Day The Lord's Day § 10. Sometimes called Sunday but never the Sabbath-Day § 11. Saturday another Time of Publick Worship § 1. HItherto I have spoken of the several particular Acts of the Publick Worship of the Ancients I now come according to my propounded Order to enquire into the necessary Circumstances thereof By which I mean such things as are inseparable from all humane Actions as Place and Time Habit and Gesture As for Habit as much of that as is Controverted I have spoken to already in that Chapter where I discoursed of the Ministers Habit in Prayer And as for Gesture I have already treated of Worshipping towards the East And of their Posture at the Reception of the Lord's Supper There is nothing more disputed with reference thereunto besides the bowing at the Name of Jesus and the worshipping towards the Communion Table but both these being introduced after my prescribed time viz. above three hundred years after Christ I shall say nothing to them but pass on to the Discussing of the two remaining Circumstances of Publick Worship viz. Place and Time § 2. First As for Place This all will readily grant to be a necessary Circumstance of Divine Worship for if we serve God it is impossible but that it must be in one place or other Now one Query with respect hereunto may be Whether the Primitive Christians had determined fixed Places for their Publick Worship Unto which I answer That usually they had though it is true indeed that in times of Persecution or when their Circumstances would not permit them to have one usual sixed Place they met where-ever they could in Fields Deserts Ships or Inns Yet in times of Peace and Serenity they chose the most setled convenient Place that they could get for the Performance of their Solemn Services which place by a Metonymy they called the Church Thus at Rome the place where the Christians met and chose Fabian for their Bishop was the Church At Antioch Paulus Samosasatenus Bishop thereof ordered certain Women to sing Psalms to his Praise in the midst of the Church At Carthage the Baptized Persons renounced the Devil and all his Works in the Church And thus Fertullian very frequently calls their definite places for Divine Worship Churches § 3. As for the Form of these Churches or the Fashion of their Building I find this Description of them in Tertullian The House of our Dove like Religion is simple built on high and in open View respecting the Light as the Figure of the Holy Spirit and the East as the representation of Christ. The meaning whereofis that their Churches were erected on high and open places and made very light and shining in imitation of the Holy Ghost's Descent upon the Apostles at the Day of Pentecost who came down with Fire or Light upon them and that they were built towards the East in resemblance of Christ whom they apprehended in Scripture to be called the East concerning which Title and the reason thereof I have already discoursed in that Head concerning praying towards the East unto which place to avoid repetition I refer the Reader § 4. But tho' they had these fixed Places or Churches for Conveniency and Decency yet they did not imagin any such Sanctity or Holiness to be in them as to recommend or make more acceptable those Services that were discharged therein than if they had been performed elsewhere for as Clemens Alexandrinus writes Every place is in Truth holy where we receive any knowledge of God And as Justin Martyr saith Through Jesus Christ we are now all become Priests to God who hath promised to accept our Sacrifices in every or in any part of the World And therefore in times of Persecution or such like Emergencies they scrupled not to meet in other places but where-ever they could securely joyn together in their Religious Services there they met though it were in Fields Deserts Ships Inns or Prisons as was the Case and Practice of Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria So that the Primitive practice and Opinion with respect to this Circumstance of Place was That if the State of their Affairs would permit them they had fixed Places for their Publick Worship call'd Churches which they set apart to that use for Conveniency and Decencies sake but not attributing unto them any such Holiness as thereby to sanctifie those Services that were performed in them I know nothing more with respect to Place that requires our Consideration I shall therefore now proceed to enquire into the Time of Publick Worship under which will be comprehended the Primitive Fasts and Feasts § 5. Time is as necessary a Circumstance to Religious Worship as Place for whilst we are in this World we cannot serve God at all times but must have some determinate time to serve him in That God's People therefore under the Law might not be left at an uncertainty when to serve him it pleased the Almighty to institute the Sabbath the Passover and other Feasts at which times they were to congregate and assemble together to give unto God the Glory due unto his Name And for the same end under the Evangelical Administration there are particular Days and Seasons appointed for the Publick and Solemn Worship of the Glorious and Eternal Lord according to the Sayings of Clemens Romanus God hath required us to serve him in the appointed times and seasons For which Reason we ought to serve him at those determinated times That so worshipping him at those Commanded Seasons we may be blessed and accepted by
him § 6. Now the principallest and chiefest of these prescribed Times was the first Day of the Week on which they constantly met together to perform their Religious Services So writes Justin Martyr On the Day that is called Sunday all both of the Country and City assemble together where we preach and pray and discharge all the other usual parts of Divine Worship Upon which account those parts of God's Publick Worship are styled by Tertullian The Lord's Days Solemnities Aurelius who was ordained a Lector or a Clark by Cyprian is described in the Execution of his Office by reading on the Lord's Day And Victorinus Petavionensis represents this day as an usual time wherein they received the Lord's Supper Which was observed by the Heathen in Minucius Felix who mentions the Christians assembling to eat on a Solemn Day And Pliny reports that the Christians in his time met together on an appointed day to sing Praises unto Christ as a God and to bind themselves by a Sacrament § 7. This was the Day which Clemens Alexandrinus calls the Chief of Days our Rest indeed Which they observed as the highest and supremest Festival On Sunday we give our selves to Joy saith Tertullian And before him St. Barnabas We keep the Eighth Day with Gladness And Ignatius We observe the Lord's Day banishing every thing on this day that had the least tendency to or the least appearance of Sorrow and Grief inasmuch that now they esteemed it a Sin either to fast or kneel Even the Montanists themselves those rigid Observers of Fasts and Abstinences Abstained from Fasting on this most glad and joying day This day they accounted Holy as Dionysius Bishop of Corinth in his Letter to the Church of Rome saith To day being the Lord's Day we keep it holy The way wherein they sanctified it or kept it holy was the employing of themselves in Acts of Divine Worship and Adoration especially in the Publick Parts thereof which they constantly performed on this day as has been already proved and in that forementioned Letter where Dionysius Bishop of Corinth writ unto the Church of Rome that that day being the Lord's Day they kept it holy The manner of sanctifying it is immediately subjoined In it saith he we have read your Epistle as also the first Epistle of Clemens And Clemens Alexandrinus writes That a true Christian according to the Commands of the Gospel observes the Lords Day by casting out all 〈◊〉 Thoughts and entertaining all good ones glorifying the Resurrection of the Lord on that day § 8. The Reafon why they observed this Day with so much Joy and Gladness was that they might gratefully commemorate the glorious Resurrection of their Redeemer that happened thereon So writes St. Barnabas We keep the eighth day with gladness on which Christ arose from the Dead So says Ignatius Let us keep the Lord's Day on which our Life arose through 〈◊〉 And so says Clemens Alexandrinus He that truly observes the Lord's Day glorifies therein the Resurrection of the Lord. Justin Martyr relates that On Sunday the Christians assembled together because it was the first Day of the Week on which God out of the confused Chaos made the World and Jesus Christ our Saviour arose from the Dead for on Fryday he was Crucified and on Sunday he appeared to his Apostles and Disciples and taught them those things that the Christians now believe And to the same purpose Origen adviseth his Auditors to pray unto Almighty God especially on the Lord's Day which is a Commemoration of Christ's Passion for the Resurrection of Christ is not only celebrated once a year but every seven days § 9. From hence it was that the usual Appellation of this Day both by the Greek and Latin Churches was The Lords Day So it is styled by Clemens Alexandrinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords Day And amongst the Latins by Victorinus Petavionensis Dies Dominicus the Lords Day As also by an African Synod And by Tertullian Sometimes it is simply called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Dominicus that is the Lords without the addition of the Word Day as it is thus called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Ignatius And Dominicus by Cyprian § 10. So that the Lords Day was the common and ordinary Title of this blessed and glorious Day though sometimes in compliance with the Heathens that they might know what Day they meant thereby they called it in their Phrase Sunday so termed because Dedicated to the Sun Thus Justin Martyr informing the Heathens of the Time and Manner of the Christians Assemblies tells them That on the Day called Sunday they met together for their Religious Exereises And That on Sunday they assembled together And so Tertullian upon the same occasion lets the Heathens know that the Christians indulged themselves on Sunday to Mirth and joyfulness But though they so far complyed with the Heathens as to call this Sunday yet I do not find that they ever so far indulged the Jews as to call it the Sabbath Day for through all their Writings as may be especially seen in Tertullian and Justin Martyr they violently declaim against Sabbatizing or keeping the Sabbath Day that is the Judaical Observation of the Seventh Day which we must always understand by the Word Sabbatum in the Writings of the Ancients not the Observation of the first Day or the Lords Day for that was constantly celebrated as it has been already proved and by those who condemn the Observance of the Sabbath Day the Sanctification of the Lord's Day is approved and recommended as by Justin Martyr and Tertullian in those Passages already cited unto which we may add that clear Passage of Ignatius Let us no longer Sabbatize but keep the Lords Day on which our Life rose Or as it is more fully expressed in his interpolated Epistle Instead of Sabbatizing let every Christian keep the Lords Day the Day on which Christ rose again the Queen of Days on which our Life arose and Death was conquered by Christ. § 11. So that their not Sabbatizing did not exclude their keeping of the Lords Day nor the Christian but only the Judaical Observance of the Sabbath or Seventh Day for the Eastern Churches in compliance with the Jewish Converts who were numerous in those Parts performed on the Seventh Day the same publick Religious Services that they did on the First Day observing both the one and the other as a Festival Whence Origen enumerates Saturday as one of the four Feasts solemnized in his time though on the contrary some of the Western Churches that they might not seem to Judaise fasted on Saturday as Victorinus Petavionensis writes We use to fast on the Seventh Day And It is our custom then to fast that we may not seem with the Jews to observe the Sabbath So that
there to read of the Bishops of the Parish of Alexandria of the Parish of Ephesus of the Parish of Corinth of the Parish of Athens of the Parish of Carthage and so of the Bishops of the Parishes of several other Churches by that Term denoting the very same that we now call a Parish viz. a competent number of Christians dwelling near together having one Bishop Pastor or Minister set over them with whom they all met at one time to worship and serve God This may be evinc'd from the intent of the Word it self which signifies a Dwelling one by another as Neighbours do or an Habitation in one and the same place as the Church of Smirna writ to the Church that Parished in Philomelium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Epistle of Clemens Romanus is to the Church of God Parishing at Corinth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is dwelling or living in Philomilium and Corinth so that a Parish is the same with a Particular Church or a single Congregation which is yet more evident from a Passage in the Differtations of Apollonius against Alexander a Cataphrygian Heretick wherein it is said That because that Heretick had been a Robber therefore that Parish to which he belonged would not receive him that is that particular Church or Congregation to which he appertained excluded him from Communion because of his Depredations and Robberies so that a Parish and a Particular Church are Synonimous Terms signifying one and the same thing and consequently a Bishop having but one Parish under his Jurisdiction could extend his Government no farther than one single Congregation because a single Congregation and a Parish were all one of the same Bulk and Magnitude § 2. But that the Bishops Diocess exceeded not the Bounds of a modern Parish and was the same as in Name so also in Thing will appear from these following Observations as 1. All the People of a Diocess did every Sunday meet all together in one place to celebrate Divine Service Thus saith Justin Martyr On Sunday all Assemble together in one Place where the Bishop preaches and prays for as Ignatius writes Where the Bishop is there the People must be and there is a necessity that we do nothing without the Bishop since it is unlawful to do any thing without him for where the Pastour is there the 〈◊〉 ought to follow wherefore as Christ did nothing without the Father so do you nothing without the Bishop and Presbyters but assemble into the same place that you may have one Prayer one Supplication one Mind and one Hope for if the Prayer of one or two have so great a force how much more prevalent must that be which is made by the Bishop and the whole Church He then that doth not assemble together is proud and hath condemned himself For it is written God resisteth the proud Let us not therefore resist the Bishop that we may be subject to God So that these Passages clearly prove That all the Members of the Bishops Church assembled together in one place to send up their common Prayers to the Throne of Grace and to discharge those other Religious Duties which were incumbent on them which convincingly evidences the Bishops Church to be no bigger than our Parishes for if it had been bigger it would have been impossible that the Members thereof should have constantly assembled together in one place as we see here they did 2. The Bishop had but one Altar or Communion Table in his whole Diocess at which his whole Flock received the Sacrament from him There is but one Altar says Ignatius as there is but one Bishop At this Altar the Bishop administred the Sacrament to his whole Flock at one time So writes Cyprian We celebrate the Sacrament the whole Brotherhood being present And thus it was in Justin Martyr's Days The Bishop's whole Diocess met together on Sunday when the Bishop gave them the Eucharist and if any were absent he sent it to them by the Deacons Certainly that Diocess could not be large where all usually communicated at one time and the Deacons carried about the Consecrated Eucharist to those that were absent which would have been an endless and painful Task for the Deacons had their Bishoprick contained more Christians in it than one Congregation would have held Tertullian writes that in his Time and Country the Christians received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper from the hands of the Bishop alone Now in those days and places they communicated at least three times a week viz. Wednesdays Fridays and Lord's Days which had been impossible to have been done if the Bishop had had Inspection over more than one Congregation as is obvious to every ones Reason for the Bishop being Finite and Corporeal as well as others could not be present in many places at once but must be confined to one determinated fixed place in which alone he could administer and dispense the Eucharist And for this Reason it is that Ignatius exhorts the Philadelphians to use the one 〈◊〉 that is not to leave the Bishop and communicate elsewhere but to partake of that single Eucharist which was administred by him For as he proceeds to say in the same place There is but one Body of our Lord Jesus Christ one Cup one Altar and one Bishop As there was but one Bishop in a Church so there was but one Altar a Bishop and an Altar being Correlates So that to set up another Altar was a Periphrasis of a Schismatick or of one that causelesly separated from his lawful Bishop and sat up another which was that they called Schism as we shall shew in its proper place Thus Cyprian describes a Schismatick as one that contemns his Bishop leaves the Ministers of God and dares to set up another Altar And particularly he brands Novatian as such an one because he erected a profane Altar that is an Altar in opposition to the Altar of Cornelius his lawful Bishop For as he saith in another place No man can regularly constitute a new Bishop or erect a new Altar besides the one Bishop and the one Altar For which Reason he calls the Altar that is erected by Schismaticks against the One Altar of their lawful Bishops A profane Altar Which agrees with that of Ignatius that He that is within the Altar is pure but he that does any thing without the Bishops Priests and Deacons is impure and as he says in another place Whosoever is without the Altar wants the Bread of God 3. The other Sacrament of Baptism was generally administred by the Bishops alone within their Respective Diocesses So saith Tertullian Before the Bishop we renounce the Devil and the World For as Cyprian says The Bishops ought only to baptize And to the same effect writes Fortunatus Bishop of Thucabori that our Lord Jesus Christ
of that which we now distinguish by the Names of Confirmation and Absolution it necessarily results that Confirmation was not like Baptism only once performed but on many Persons frequently reiterated All Persons after Baptism were confirmed that is by the Imposition of Hands and Prayer the Holy Ghost was beseeched to descend upon them and so to fortifie them by his Heavenly Grace as that they might couragiously persevere in their Christian Warfare to their Lives end but if it should so happen as oftentimes it did that any so confirmed should fall from the Christian Faith and be for a time excluded the Churches Peace when they were again admitted Hands were again imposed on them and the Holy Spirit again Invocated to strengthen them with his Almighty Grace by which they might be upheld to the Day of Salvation and so as often as any Man fell and was restored to the Churches Communion so often was he confirmed and the Holy Ghost entreated more firmly to establish and settle him CHAP. VI. § 1. Of the Lord's Supper The Time when administred § 2. Persons that received it none present at the Celebration thereof besides the Communicants § 3. The manner of its Celebration In some places the Communicants first made their Offerings § 4. The Minister began with a Sacramental Discourse or Exhortation Then followed a Prayer consisting of Petitions and Praises which consecrated both the Elements at once § 5. After that the Words of the Institution were read § 6. Then the Bread was broken and the Wine poured out and both distributed Diversity of Customs in the manner of the Distribution § 7. The Posture of Receiving § 8. After they had communicated they sung a Psalm and then concluded with Prayer and a Collection for the Poor § 1 THE first of the Christian Sacraments having been so largely discussed I now come to treat of the other viz. The Lords Supper in the handling of which I shall enquire into these three things 1. The Time 2. The Person And 3. The manner thereof First As for the time of its Celebration In general it was at the conclusion of their Solemn Services as Justin Martyr writes that after they had read sung preached and prayed then they proceeded to the Administration of the Eucharist But as for the particular part of the Day that seems to have been according to the Circumstances and Customs of every Church In Tertullian's Age and Country they received it at Supper-time from which late Assembling it is probable that the Heathens took occasion to accuse them of putting out the Lights and promiscuously mingling one with another Which Accusation may be read at large in Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Tryphon in Minutius Felix and the Apologies of Tertullian and Athenagoras But whether this was then their constant Season in times of Peace I know not this is certain that in times of Persecution they laid hold on any Season or Opportunity for the enjoying of this Sacred Ordinance whence Tertullian tells us of their receiving the Eucharist in their Antelucan Assemblies or in their Assemblies before day And Pliny reports that in his time the Christians were wont to meet together before it was light and to bind themselves by a Sacrament Cyprian writes that in his Days they administer'd this Sacrament both Morning and Evening And That as Christ administer'd the Sacrament in the Evening to signifie the Evening and end of the World So they celebrated it in the Morning to denote the Resurrection of their Lord and Master All that can be gathered from hence is That they did not deem any particular part of the Day necessary to the Essence of the Sacrament but every Church regulated its self herein according to the Diversity of its Customs and Circumstances § 2. As for the 〈◊〉 communicating they were not indifferently all that professed the Christian Faith as Origen writes It doth not belong to every one to eat of this Bread and to drink of this Cup. But they were only such as were in the number of the faithful such as were baptized and received both the Credentials and Practicals of Christianity That is who believed the Articles of the Christian Faith and lead an holy and a pious Life Such as these and none else were permitted to Communicate Now since none but the Faithful were admitted it follows that the Catechumens and the Penitents were excluded the Catechumens because they were not yet baptized for Baptism always preceded the Lords Supper as Justin Martyr says It is not lawful for any one to partake of the Sacramental Food except he be baptized The Penitents because for their Sins they were cast out of the Church and whilst excluded from the Peace thereof they could not participate of the Marks and Tokens of that Peace but were to be driven therefrom and not admitted thereto till they had fully satisfied for their Faults lest otherwise they should profane the Body of the Lord and drink his Cup unworthily and so be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Hence when the other parts of Divine Worship were ended and the Celebration of the Eucharist was to begin the Catechumens Penitents and all except the Communicants were to depart as Tertullian says hereof Pious Initiations drive away the Profane These being Mysteries which were to be kept secret and concealed from all except the Faithful inasmuch as to others the very method and manner of their Actions herein were unknown which was observed by the Pagans who objected to the Christians the Secrecy of their Mysteries which Charge Tertullian does not deny but confessing it answers That that was the very Nature of Mysteries to be concealed as Ceres's were in Samothracia § 3. The Catechumens with others being gone out and none remaining but the Faithful the Celebration of the Eucharist next followed which brings me to the Inquiry of the Third thing viz. The manner of the Celebration thereof But before I meddle therewith I shall briefly premise this Observation viz. That in some places as in France and Africa the Communicants first made their Offerings presenting according to their Ability Bread or Wine or the like as the first Fruits of their Encrease It being our Duty as Irenaeus writes to offer unto God the first Fruits of his Creatures as Moses saith Thou shalt not appear empty before the Lord. Not as if God wanted these things but to shew our fruitfulness and gratitude unto him Wherefore Cyprian thus severely blam'd the Rich Matrons for their scanty Oblations Thou art rich and wealthy saith he and dost thou think duly to celebrate the Lord's Supper when thou refusest to give Thou who comest to the Sacrament without a Sacrifice what part canst thou have from the Sacrifice which the Poor offer up These Offerings were employed to the Relief of the Poor and other Uses of the Church and it seems probable that a
Title 〈◊〉 to Christ in the Old Testament for that Place in Zach. 6. 12. Behold the Man whose Name is the 〈◊〉 they Translated according to the Septuagint Behold the Man whose Name is the East which misapprehension of the Word Branch arose from the different Significations or Applications of the Greek Word by which the Septuagint expressed it In the Original Hebrew the Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies an arising or sprouting out as doth a Branch from a Root The Word by which they rendred it in Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in a large Sense comprehends all sorts of arising and springing out but strictly and generally is applyed to the arising and first appearing of the Sun and by a Metonymy is appropriated to the East because the Sun arises in that Quarter The Fathers therefore not knowing the Original and finding Christ to be called in their Ordinary Version 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presently concluded that according to the usual signification of the Word he was there termed by the Prophet The East whom they conceived to be so called because he was to arise like a Star And as the Sun that arises in the East penetrates thro' the World with its warm and illuminating Rays So Christ the Sun of Righteousness would arise with more Warmth and Light and pierce farther than the material Sun even into the Depths of Mens Hearts and Minds Hence the East is called by Tertullian A Type of Christ and for this Reason we may very well suppose that they prayed towards the East as well as built their Churches toward it which that they did we shall shew in its proper place II. Another Reason might be with respect to the Similitude of the Rising of the Sun with our Spiritual arising out of the Darkness of Sin and Corruption which I find thus expressed by Clemens Alexandrinus Let Prayers be made towards the East because the East is the Representation of our Spiritual Nativity As from thence Light first arose shining out of Darkness so according to that Rising of the Sun the Day of true Knowledge arose on those who lay buried in Ignorance whence the ancient Temples looked towards the West that so they who stood against the Images therein might be forced to look towards the East III. Origen advises to pray towards the Eastern Climate to denote our Diligence in the Service of God in being more forward to arise and set about it than the Sun is to run his daily Course for which he produces an Apocryphal Text Wisdom 16. 28. That it might be known that we must prevent the Sun to give thee thanks and at the Day-spring pray unto thee IV. Another Reason for their praying towards the East was their Opinion of the Excellency of this Quarter above others which Argument Origen thus delivers as well as I can Translate it Whereas there are four Climates the North and South the West and East who will not acknowledge that we bught to pray looking towards the East Symbolically representing thereby our Souls beholdthe arising of the true Light If a Man which way soever the Doors of his House are placed would rather make his Prayers towards the Windows saying That the sight of the Sky hath something more peculiar 〈◊〉 it to stir up his Affection than his looking against a Wall Or if it so happen that the Windows of his House do not look towards the East that happened from the Arbitrary Structure of the Builder but not from Nature which prefers the East before the other Quarters and Nature is to be preferred before that Building Or if any one will pray in the open Field will he not pray rather towards the East than towards the West And if in these things the 〈◊〉 is preferred before the West why is it not so also in every other thing besides For these four Reasons now but principally I suppose for the first they usually prayed towards the East inasmuch that for their Worshiping towards this Quarter and for their Religious Observation of the Lord's Day or Sunday so called because Dedicated to the Sun they were accused by the Heathens of Reverencing and Adoring the Sun § 3. The Congregation being thus turned towards the East they put themselves into a 〈◊〉 of Prayer stretching out their Hands and lifting up their Eyes towards Heaven as Clemens Alexandrinus writes We lift up our Head and stretch out our Hands towards Heaven And so Tertullian We pray looking upto Heaven 〈◊〉 expanded Hands by this devout 〈◊〉 imitating the lifting up of their Hearts to God in the 〈◊〉 Wherefore as now to quicken the Peoples Devotion the 〈◊〉 before Prayer excites them thereunto by saying Let us pray So in the African Churches in Cyprian's Days the Minister Prefac'd in his Prayer by saying to the People Lift up your Hearts To which the People to testifie their Consent answered We lift them up unto the Lord. § 4. After this the Minister began to Pray But before we handle his Prayer it may not be unnecessary to consider in what Habit he Officiated whether in a Surplice or no. His usual Garb was a Pallium which is the same with what we call a Cloak This as being the most simple and plain Garment was commonly worn by the Christians the usual Garb throughout the whole Roman Empire was the Toga which was more gay and splendid than the Pallium wherefore those who came over from Paganism to Christianity for the Indication of their Humility and Contempt of the World quitted the Toga as too pompous and mundane and assumed the Pallium or Cloak as more grave and modest from which change of Apparel and renouncing of a sumptuous Habit to embrace a poor and mean one the Heathens derided and exposed the Christians even to a Proverb a Toga ad Pallium which sarcastical Language engaged Tertullian to write a little Tract in Defence of the Cloak which is still extant in his Writings under the Title of De Pallio But Salmasius and Dr. Cave think this severe Habit was not worn by all 〈◊〉 but only by those of them that lead a more austere and mortified Life such as the Clergy and some self-denying Personages 〈◊〉 the Laity and that therefore it is called by Tertullian in the sorementioned Tract Sacerdotis Habitus or Priests Apparel as it is in all ancient Manuscripts and in the first Edition of Beatus Rhenanus and not Sacer Habitus The Holy Apparel as it is in the later Editions But whether it were so or no I shall not here debate This is sufficient for my purpose that the Clergy usually wore a Cloak But now that in times of Publick Prayer they should put a Surplice or any other kind of Linnen Garment over their Cloaks neither Tertullian nor any other speak the least Syllable of it Instead of putting another Vestment on their Gown or Cloak
hominum perdere sed salvare quantum in nobis est si fieri potest 〈◊〉 anima perdenda est Quid enim ei deest qui semel in utero Dei manibus formatus est Nobis enim atque oculis nostris secundum dierum secularium cursum accipere qui nati sunt incrementum videntur Caeterum quaecunque a Deo fiunt Dei factoris majestate opere perfecta sunt Esse denique apud omnes sive infantes sive majores natu unam divini muneris aequalitatem declarat nobis divinae Scripturae fides cum Helisaeus super Infantem Sunamitis Viduae Filium qui mortuus jacebat ita se Deum deprecans superstravit ut capiti caput faciei facies applicaretur superfusi Helisaei membra singulis parvuli membris pedes pedibus jungerentur Quae res si secundum nativitatis nostrae Corporis qualitatem cogitetur adulto provecto Infans non posset Nam quod vestigium infantis in primis 〈◊〉 ini diebus constituti mundum non esse 〈◊〉 quod unusquisque nostrum adhuc horreat exosculari nec hoc 〈◊〉 coelestem gratiam dandam impedimento esse oportere scriptumest enim omnia mundasunt mundis nec aliquis nostrum id debet hortere quod Deus dignatus est facere Nam etsi adhuc infans a partu novus eft non ita est tamen ut quisquam illum in gratia danda atque in pace facienda horrere debeat osculari quando in osculo 〈◊〉 unusquisque nostrum pro sua religione ipsas adhuc recentes Dei manus debeat cogitare quas in homine modo formato recens nato quodammodo exosculamur quando id quod Deus fecit amplectimur Nam quod in Judaica Circumcisione carnali octavus dies observabatur Sacramentum est in umbra atque in imagine ante 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 veniente Christo veritate completum 〈◊〉 quia octavus dies id est post 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dies 〈◊〉 erat quo Dominus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Circumcisionem nobis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic dies 〈◊〉 id est post Sabbacum primus Dominicus praecessit in imagine quae imago cessavit fuperveniente 〈◊〉 veritate data nobis spirituali circumcisione Propter quod neminem putamus a gratia consequenda impediendum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lege quae iam 〈◊〉 est nec spiritualem circumcisionem impediri carnali 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed omnem omnino hominem admittendum efse ad gratiam Christi quando Petrus in Actibus Apostolorum 〈◊〉 dicat Dominus mihi dixit 〈◊〉 communem dicendum immundum Caeterum si homines 〈◊〉 aliquid ad 〈◊〉 gratiae posset magis adultos provectos majores natu possent impedire peccata graviora Porro autem si etiam gravissimis delictoribus in Deum multum ante peccantibus cum postea crediderint remissa peccatorum datur a baptismo atque a gratia nemo prohibetur quanto magis prohiberi non debet 〈◊〉 qui recens natus nihil peccavit nisi quod secundum Adam carnaliter natus contagium mortis antique prima nativitate contraxit Qui ad remissam peccatorum accipiendam hoc ipso facilius accedit quod illi remittuntur non propria sed aliena peccata idcirco frater charissime haec fuit in concilio nostra sententia a baptismo atque a gratia Dei qui omnibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pius est neminem per nos debere prohiberi Quod cum 〈◊〉 universos observandum 〈◊〉 atque retinendum tum magis circa 〈◊〉 ipsos recens natos 〈◊〉 putamus qui hoc 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ac de divina 〈◊〉 plus merentur quod in primo statim na 〈◊〉 suae ortu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flentes nihil aliud 〈◊〉 quam 〈◊〉 As for the matter of Infants whom you said were not to be Baptized within the Second or Third Day after their Nativity or according to the Law of Circumcision within the eighth Day thereof it hath appeared to us in our Council quite contrary no one maintained your Opinion but we all judged That the Mercy and Grace of God was to be denied to no Man for since the Lord said in the Gospel The Son of Man came not to destroy but to save the Souls of Men therefore as much as lies in our Power no Soul is to be lost for what is there defective in him who has been once formed in the Womb by the Hands of God To us indeed it seems that Children increase as they advance in Years but yet whatever things are made by God are perfected by the Work and Majesty of God their Maker Besides the 〈◊〉 Scriptures declare that both Infants and Adult Persons have the same Equality in the Divine Workmanship When Elisha prayed over the Dead Child of the Sunamitish Widow he lay upon the Child and put his Head upon his Head and his Face upon his Face and his Body upon his Body and his Feet upon his Feet This may be thought improbable how the small Members of an Infant should equal the big ones of a grown Man but 〈◊〉 is expressed the Divine and Spiritual Equality that all Men are equal and alike when they are made by God that though the encrease of our 〈◊〉 may cause an inequality with respect to Men yet not with respect to God unless that that Grace which is given to 〈◊〉 Persons be more or less according to the Age of the Receivers but the Holy Ghost is given equally to all not according to measure but according to God's Mercy and Indulgence for as God is no respecter of Persons so neither of Years he equally offers to all the 〈◊〉 of his Heavenly Grace And whereas you say that an 〈◊〉 for the first Days after his Birth is unclean so that 〈◊〉 one is 〈◊〉 to kiss him this can 〈◊〉 no Impediment to his 〈◊〉 of Heavenly Grace for it is written to the Pure all things are pure and none of us should dread that which God hath made for although an 〈◊〉 be newly born yet he is not so as that we should dread to 〈◊〉 him since in the 〈◊〉 of an Infant we ought to think upon the fresh Works of God which in a 〈◊〉 we 〈◊〉 in an Infant newly formed and born when we embrace that which God hath made And whereas the 〈◊〉 Jewish 〈◊〉 was performed on the Eighth Day that was a Type and Shadow of some future good thing which Christ the Truth being now come is done away because the Eighth Day or the First Day after the Sabbath was 〈◊〉 be the Day on which our Lord should rise and quicken us and give us the Spiritual Circumcision 〈◊〉 was the Carnal Circumcision on the Eighth Day which Type is now abolished Christ the Truth being come and having given us the Spiritual Circumcision Wherefore it is our Judgment that no one ought to be debarred from God's Grace by that Law or that the Spiritual Circumcision should be hindred by the carnal
consummari ac perfici posse 〈◊〉 Domini Fidei veritate Epist. 76. § 9. p. 249 250. That as far as he could 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 that the Divine Benefits could 〈◊〉 wise be 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 nor that less thereof could 〈◊〉 where the Divine Gifts are received with a sound and full Faith both of Giver and Receiver Far in Baptism the Spots of Sin are otherwise washed 〈◊〉 than the 〈◊〉 of the Body in a Secular and Carnal Bath is in which there is need of a Seat to sit upon of a Vat to wash in 〈◊〉 Soap and other such like Implements that so the Body may be washed and cleansed but in another manner is the Heart of a Believer is the Mind of a Man purified by 〈◊〉 Merits of Christ. In the Sacraments of 〈◊〉 through the Indulgence of God in Cases of 〈◊〉 the Divine 〈◊〉 convey the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that 〈◊〉 Nor let 〈◊〉 one think it strange that the Sick when they are Baptized are only perfused or sprinkled since the Scripture says by the 〈◊〉 Ezekiel Chap. 36. v. 25 26. I will sprinkle clean Water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your 〈◊〉 and from all your Idols will I cleanse you a new Heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you Also it is said in Numbers chap. 19. 19 20. And the Man which shall be 〈◊〉 to the Evening 〈◊〉 shall 〈◊〉 purified the third Day and the seventh Day and 〈◊〉 shall be clean but if he shall not be purified the third 〈◊〉 and the seventh Day he shall not 〈◊〉 clean and that Soul shall be 〈◊〉 off from Israel because the 〈◊〉 of Aspersion hath not been sprinkled on him And again the Lord spake unto Moses Numb 8. v. 6 7. Take the 〈◊〉 from among the Children of Israel and cleanse them and thus shalt thou do unto them to cleanse 〈◊〉 sprinkle Water of Purifying upon them And again the Water of Aspersion is Purification From whence it appears that sprinkling is sufficient instead of Immersion and whensoever it is done if there be a sound Faith of Giver and Receiver it is perfect and complent And a little 〈◊〉 in the same Epistle the said Father argues the Validity of Baptizing by Sprinkling because such as had been so Baptized were never Baptized again Aut si aliquis 〈◊〉 eos nihil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod aqua salutari 〈◊〉 perfusi sunt sed 〈◊〉 vacuos esse non decipiantur si incommodum languoris 〈◊〉 convaluerint baptizentur Si autem baptizari non possunt 〈◊〉 jam baptismo 〈◊〉 sanctificati sunt 〈◊〉 in fide sua Domini indulgentia 〈◊〉 Idem Ibid. § 10. p. 250. If saith he any shall think that such have not 〈◊〉 the Grace of God but 〈◊〉 void and empty thereof because they have been only 〈◊〉 with the Saving Laver Let not such then that have been so Baptized 〈◊〉 themselves but 〈◊〉 they recover their Health let them 〈◊〉 Baptized but if they cannot be 〈◊〉 as having been already Sanctified with the Ecclesiastical Baptism why then are they scandalized in their Faith and in the Mercy of God So that Sprinkling or Perfusion was 〈◊〉 valid and seems to be always used in Cases of Necessity as Immersion was in their ordinary Publick Baptism when as Tertullian writes they dipped the Baptized Person three times under Water that is dipping him once at the naming of each Person of the Holy Trinity We are says the foresaid Father dipped at the naming of each Person § 7. When Baptism was over the Person that had been then Baptized as Justin Martyr relates it was 〈◊〉 into the number of the Faithful who then sent up 〈◊〉 Publick Prayers to God for all Men for themselves and for him that had been Baptized After which the Baptized Person as the said Father goes on to write was admitted to receive the other Sacrament of the Lord's Supper with the rest of the Faithful So that in Justin. Martyr's Age at least in his 〈◊〉 at that Season it seems very probable that there followed only Prayers after Baptism But not long after his time we meet with many other Ceremonies then used which because they have some Relation to our present Controversies I shall mention in the following Chapter CHAP. V. § 1. After Baptism followed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnction § 2. Then Signation or 〈◊〉 with the Sign of the Cross. § 3. Then 〈◊〉 of Hands or Confirmation § 4. 〈◊〉 Reasons for 〈◊〉 § 5. For 〈◊〉 § 6. For Imposition of Hands § 7. 〈◊〉 immediately followed Baptism § 8. 〈◊〉 confirmed as well as Bishops § 9. Confirmation reiterated § 1. AS for those Rites that succeeded Baptism and which we find first mentioned in Tertullian they were in number three viz. Vnction Signation and Imposition of Hands or if the Reader pleases he may call them all by the Name of Confirmation Touching Unction or Chrismation 〈◊〉 thus writes As soon as we are baptized we are 〈◊〉 with the blessed Vnction An external carnal Vnction is poured upon us but it spiritually advantages And to the same purpose says his Follower Cyprian He that is baptized must of necessity be anointed that having received the 〈◊〉 or Vnction he may be the Anointed of God and have him in the Grace of Christ. § 2. Under this Crismation was comprehended Signation or the Signing of the Baptized Person with the Sign of the Cross which the Minister performed with this 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 So saith 〈◊〉 The Flesh is 〈◊〉 that the Soul may be 〈◊〉 And then it follows The Flesh 〈◊〉 Signed that the Soul may be fortified This Sign was made in the Forehead as Cyprian observes than King 〈◊〉 for invading the Priest's Office was smit with a 〈◊〉 on his Forehead and mark'd by an offended God 〈◊〉 that place where those are mark'd whom God Receives Hence he calls a Christians Forehead A Signed Forehead and thus elegantly exhorts the People of 〈◊〉 in Allusion hereunto to take unto themselves the whole Armour of God mentioned 〈◊〉 6. 〈◊〉 To take 〈◊〉 themselves for a Covering for their Head the 〈◊〉 of Salvation that their Ears might be fortified against their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that their Eyes might be strengthned against the beholding of 〈◊〉 Images that their Forehead might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that so the Sign of God might be 〈◊〉 inviolable So Pontius speaks of certain Confessors who by the 〈◊〉 of their T or mentors had their Foreheads marked a Second Time It is observed by Tertullian that the Devil strives to be God's Ape imitating the Acts of his Worship and Service and prescribing the fame to his Deluded Adorers as particularly in the Idolatrous Services of 〈◊〉 as whose Priests baptized some as his Believing and Faithful Servants and Sign'd them in their Foreheads as his 〈◊〉 § 3. To 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imposition of Hands or that which most properly we term Confirmation which was
sufficient Quantity of that Bread and Wine was presented to the Bishop or to him that officiated to be employed for the Sacramental Elements whose Consecration next succeeded which in the main was after this following Manner § 4. It is very likely that in many places the Minister first began with an Exhortation or Discourse touching the Nature and end of that Sacrament which the Congregation were going to partake of that so their Hearts might be the more elevated and raised into Heavenly Frames and Dispositions This may be gathered from the History of an Exorcist Woman related by Firmilian who took upon her to per. form many Ecclesiastical Administrations as to Baptize and Celebrate the Lord's Supper which last she did without the wonted Sermon or Discourse Which seems to intimate that in those days it was customary in Lesser Asia and perhaps at Carthage too for the Minister to make a Speech or Exhortation before the Participation of the Sacrament But whether this Practice was universal or more ancient than 〈◊〉 I cannot determin this that follows was viz. A Prayer over the Elements by him that Officiated unto which the People gave their Assent by saying Amen This Prayer is thus described by Justin Martyr Bread and Wine are offered to the Minister who receiving them gives Praise and Glory to the Lord of all through the Son and the Holy Ghost and in a large manner renders particular Thanks for the present Mercies who when he hath ended his Prayers and Praise all the People say Amen And when the Minister hath thus given Thanks and the People said Amen the Deacons distributed the Elements And again Bread and Wine are offered to the Minister who to the utmost of his Abilities sends up Prayers and Praises and the People say Amen and then the Consecrated Elements are distributed From this Description by Justin Martyr of the Sacramental Prayer we may observe these few things pertinent to the matter in hand I. That there was but one long Prayer antecedent to the Distribution of the Elements For he says That the Minister having received the Bread and Wine he offered up Prayers and Praise unto God in a large manner and when he had ended the People said Amen II. That this long Prayer consisted of two Parts viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he calls them that is Petition and Thanksgiving in the former they prayed for the Peace of the Church the Quiet of the World the Health of their Emperors and in a Word for all Men that needed their Prayers as it is represented by Tertullian We pray saith he for the Emperors for all that are in Authority under them for the State of the World for the Quiet of Affairs and for the Delay of the Day of Judgment In the latter they gave God thanks for sending Christ and for the Institution of that comfortable Sacrament desiring his Blessing on and Consecration of the Elements then before them III. That by this one Prayer both the Elements were consecrated at once for he says That the Minister took both Elements together and blessed them and then they were distributed He did not consecrate them distinctly but both together § 5. After Prayer was ended they read the Words of Institution that so the Elements might be consecrated by the Word as well as by Prayer Whence Origen calls the Sacramental Elements The Food that is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer And that is hallowed by the Word of God and Prayer And 〈◊〉 writes That when the Bread and Wine perceive the Word of God then it becomes the Eucharist of the Body and Blood of Christ. § 6. The Elements being thus Consecrated the Minister took the Bread and brake it The Bread which we break or or the broken Bread as it is styled by Irenaeus and then gave it to the Deacons who distributed it to the Communicants and after that the Cup which the Deacons in the like manner delivered So it was in Justin Martyr's time and Country The Element saith he being blessed the Deacons give to every one present of the Consecrated Bread and Wine But in Tertullian's Time and Country the Minister and not the Deacons distributed the Elements We receive saith he from no ones Hands but the Bishops And yet at the same Place not many years after The Deacons offered the Cup to those that were present So that herein there was a Diversity of Customs in some places the Deacons delivered the Elements in others the Bishop or the Minister that consecrated them But whether it was done either by Bishop or Deacons it seems probable that which of them soever did it they delivered the Sacramental Bread and Wine particularly to each Communicant I find but one Example to the contrary and that was in the Church of Alexandria where the Custom was to permit the People to take the Bread themselves from the Plate or Vessel wherein it was consecrated as is insinuated by Clemens Alexandrinus but in most other Churches it is likely that the Elements were particularly delivered to every single Communicant So it was in the Country of Justin Martyr where the Deacons gave to each one of the consecrated Bread and Wine So at Carthage in the time of Cyprian The Deacons offered the Cup to those that were present In the time of which Father it was usual for Children and Sucking Infants to receive the Sacrament unto whom it was necessary particularly to deliver the Elements since it was impossible for them to take it orderly from the Hands of others And therefore when a little sucking Girl refused to taste the Sacramental Wine The Deacon violently forc'd it down her Throat So it was also at Rome as appears from what Cornelius reports of his Antagonist Novatian that when he administer'd the Sacrament and divided and gave to each Man his part with his two Hands he held those of the Receiver saying to him Swear unto me by the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that thou wilt never leave my Party to return to that of Cornelius so forcing the miserable Receiver instead of saying Amen to say I will not return to Cornelius § 7. As for the Posture of receiving at Alexandria the Custom was to stand at the Table and receive the Elements which may be supposed to have been 〈◊〉 this manner The Bread and Wine being consecrated the Communicants came up in order to the Communion Table and there standing received the Elements and then returned to their places again But whether this was universal I know not or whether any other postures were used I cannot determin only as for kneeling if the Sacrament was Celebrated on the Lords Day as usually it was or on any other Day between Easter and Whitsontide then no Church whatsoever kneeled for as Tertullian writes On the Lords Day we account it a
besides the Lord's Day Saturday was an usual Season whereon many Churches solemnized their Religious Services As for those other times in which they Publickly assembled for the Performance of Divine Worship they will fall under the two General Heads of Times of Fasting and Times of Feasting of which in the following Chapters CHAP. VIII § Of the Primitive Fasts two-fold Occasional and Fix'd Of Occasional Fasts what they were and by whom appointed § 2. Of fixt Fasts two-fold Weekly and Annual Wednesdays and Fridays weekly Fasts till what time of the Day observed and why observed § 3. One necessary Annual Fast viz. Lent Why they fasted at Lent and how long lasted § 4. Of the manner of their Fasts Three sorts of Fasts viz. Statio Jejunium and Superpositio What those several Kinds were and at what times observed § 1. IN this Chapter I shall make an Enquiry into the Primitive Fasts which may be considered in a two-fold respect either as Occasional or Fixt Occasional Fasts were such as were not determined by any constant fixed Period of Time but observed on extraordinary and unusual Seasons according as the Variety and Necessity of their Circumstances did require them Thus in Times of Great and Imminent Danger either of Church or State when by their Sins they had kindled God's Wrath and Fury against them that they might divert his Vengeance and appease his offended Majesty they appointed set Days and Times for the Abasing of themselves before the Lord for the seeking of his Face by Prayer and Fasting abstaining from the Food of their Bodies and practising all external Acts of Humiliation as so many Indications of the internal Contrition of their Hearts and Souls So Cyprian in the time of a sharp Persecution advised his Flock To seek to appease and pacifie the Lord not only by Prayers but by Fastings and by Tears and by all kind of Intreaties And when the same Father foresaw an approaching Persecution he writ to Cornelius Bishop of Rome That since God was pleased in his Providence to warn them of an approaching Fight and Tryal they ought with their whole Flocks diligently to fast and watch and pray to give themselves to continual Groans and frequent Prayers for those are our Spiritual Arms that make us firmly to stand and persevere Tertullian jeers the Heathens That in times of Danger or great necessity after they had voluptuously and sensually glutted themselves they then ran to the Capitol and with all outward Signs of Humility deprecated Gods Judgments and implored his mercy whilst in the mean time they were Enemies unto him But says he We on such Emergencies and Occasions abstain from all things give our selves wholly to fasting roll our selves in Sackcloth and Ashes thus incline God as it were to repent to have Mercy and Compassion upon us for by this way God is honoured These Occasional Fasts were appointed by the Bishops of every Church as they saw fit and necessary So writes Tertullian The Bishops are wont to ordain Fasts for their Churches according as the Circumstances of the Churches require § 2. The next sort of Fasts were set or fixed ones that is such as were always observed at the same Time and Season and these again were two fold either Weekly or Annual First Weekly These were kept every Wednesday and Friday as Clemens Alexandrinus relates that they fasted on every Wednesday and Friday These Fasts were commonly called Stations in allusion to the Military Stations or the Soldiers standing when on the Guard Thus Tertullian mentions Their Stationary Days And writes that Wednesdays and Fridays were Stations On these Stationary Days their Fasts ended at three a Clock in the Afternoon whence they are called by Tertullian The half Fasts of Stations Though some on Fridays lengthened out their Fasts till Evening Why they fasted on Wednesday rather than on any other Day of the Week I cannot find but on Friday they chose to fast because Christ was Crucified thereon § 3. The next sort of fixed Fasts is such as are annual of which kind they had but one viz. Lent And indeed besides this they had no other necessary fixed Fast 〈◊〉 Weekly nor Yearly the Faithful were not strictly obliged to the observation of any other as will be evident from what follows It is true they fasted Wednesdays and Fridays but this was ex Arbitrio of their own Free Will and Choice not ex imperio of Command or Necessity For when the Montanists began to impose as a Duty other stinted Fasts they were for so doing branded as Hereticks Who saith Apollonius concerning Montanus is this new Doctor His Works and Doctrin evidently declare him this is he that teaches the Dissolution of Marriages and prescribes Fasts And for the same Practice they were accused by the Orthodox for Galaticising or committing the Error of the Galatians in observing Days and Months and Years But that the Ancients esteemed Lent to be the only necessary fixed Fast and any other even the Stationary Days to be indifferent will appear most evidently from this ensuing Passage of Tertullian Tertullian being now a Montanist and defending their prescribed Fasts against the Orthodox thus jeeringly exposes the Opinions of his Adversaries with respect to the necessary determined times of Fasting Forsooth saith he they think that according to the Gospel those days are to be prescribed Fasts wherein the Bridegroom was takeu away i.e. Lent and those to be the only Fasts of Christians the Legal and Prophetical Fasts being abolished and that for others we may indifferently fast according to our Will not out of necessity or command but according to our Circumstances and conditions and that so the Apostles abserved commanding no other fixed and common Fasts besides this no not the Stationary Days which indeed they keep on Wednesdays and Fridays and do all observe but yet not in obedience to any Command or to the end of the Day but Prayers are concluded at three a Clock in the Afternoon according to the Example of Peter in the Acts. So that from hence it is evident That the Orthodox apprehended themselves to be free from the necessary Observation of the Stationary Fasts and to be only strictly obliged to fast on those Days wherein the Bridegroom was taken away or on Lent from which Periphrasis of Lent we may collect both the Reason and the Duration thereof First the Reason thereof or the Ground on which they founded the necessity of this Fast and that was on that saying of Christ in Matth. 9. 15. The Days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them This they imagined to be an Injunction of Christ to all his Followers to fast at that time when the Bridegroom should be taken away The Bridegroom they esteemed to be Christ the time when he was taken away his Crucifixion Death and continuing under the Power of Death to the instant of his
other Churches kept it the Lords Day after This Diversity of Customs created a violent Disorder and Confusion amongst the Christians for the Church of Rome would impose their Usages on the Churches of the Lesser Asia unto which the latter peremptorily refused to submit To appease these Heats and Storms Polycarp Bishop of Smirna came to Rome to confer with Anicetus Bishop of that Church about it who 〈◊〉 that every Church should be left to follow its own Custom as accordingly they were to the times of Pope Victor who revived this Controversie and was so turbulent and imperious as that he excommunicated the Asiaticks for refusing to comply with the Church of Rome in this matter condemning them as Hereticks loading them with the long and frightful Name of Tessareskaidekatitae or Quartodecimani so called because they kept their Easter Quarta Decima Luna upon the Fourteenth Day after the appearance of the Moon or at the Full Moon on what Day soever it happened But however the Asiaticks stood their Ground and still maintained their old Custom till the Council of Nice Anno 325. by their Authority decided this Controversie decreeing that throughout the whole Christian World Easter should be observed not on the Day on which the Jewish Passover fell but on the Lord's Day ensuing as it was ever after observed and followed § 3. The next Feast that was observed was Whitsunday or Pentecost in Commemoration of the Holy Ghosts Descent on the Apostles which also was very ancient being mentioned several times by Tertullian and reckon'd by Origen for one of the four Festivals observed in his time the other Three being Sundays Saturdays and Easter § 4. As for Christmass or the time of Christs Nativity there is a Passage in Clemens Alexandrinus which seems to intimate that it was then observed as a Festival For speaking of the Time when Christ was born he says that those who had curiously search'd into it affixed it to the 25th Day of the Month Pachon But the Basilidian Hereticks held otherwise who also observed as a Feast the Day of Christs Baptism From which Words who also if that be the meaning of the Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one might be apt to infer that the meaning of Clemens Alexandrinus was that the Basilidians not only feasted at the time of Christs Nativity but also at the time of his Baptism But whether this Interpretation will hold I leave to the Learned Reader to determin On the contrary there are other Considerations which more strongly insinuate that this Festival was not so early solemnized as that when Origen reckons up the Feasts observed in his Age he mentions not one Syllable of Christmas and it seems improbable that they should Celebrate Christs Nativity when they disagreed about the Month and Day when Christ was born Clemens Alexandrinus reckons from the Birth of Christ to the Death of Commodus exactly one hundred ninety four Years one month and thirteen days which years must be computed according to the Nabonassar or Egyptian Account who varied from this in our year in that they had only 365 days in a year never taking notice of the odd Hours or Quadrant of a Day that every fourth Year makes a whole Day and are accordingly by us then added to the Month of February which maketh the Bissextile or Leapyear So that though the Egyptians always begun their Year with the first day of the Month Thoth yet making no Account of the Annual odd Hours that Month wandereth throughout the whole Year And whereas now the first Day of that Month is the first Day of our March about Seven Hundred Years hence it will be the first of September and after Seven Hundred Years more or near thereabouts it will come to the first of March again Wherefore that we may reduce unto our Style this Calculation of Clemens Alexandrinus we must deduce for those odd Hours which are not accounted one Month and Eighteen Days and so reckoning the Birth of Christ from the Death of Commodus which happened on the first Day of January to be One Hundred Ninety Four Years wanting five or six Days it will appear that Christ was born on the 25th or 26th of the Month of December according to the Julian Account which is the Epoch we follow But as the same Father farther writes in the same place There were some who more curiously searching after the Year and Day of Christs Nativity affixed the latter to the 25th of the Month Pachon Now in that Year in which Christ was born the Month Pachon commenced the twentieth Day of April So that according to this Computation Christ was born the 16th Day of May. Nay there were yet some other ingenious Men as the same Father continues to write that assigned Christ's Nativity to the 24th or 25th of the Month Pharmuthi which answers to our 16th or 17th of April So that there were Diversities of Opinion concerning the Time of Christs Birth which makes it very probable that there was then no particular Feast observed in Commemoration of that Glorious and transcendent Mercy § 5. There is yet another Feast called by us Epiphany wherein there is a Commemoration of Christs Baptism which I find to have been peculiarly Solemnized by the Basilidian Hereticks For thus Clemens Alexandrinus reports it to be a particular Custom of theirs to keep as a Festival the day of Christs Baptism The Day on which Christ was baptized they said to be the fifteenth of the Month Tyby in the fifteenth Year of the Reign of the Emperor Tiberius which answers to our One and Thirtieth of December or as others imagin'd it On the Eleventh of the Month Tyby which was the Seven and Twentieth of our December § 6. Besides these forementioned Festivals there were none others observed to the Honour of the blessed Jesus nor of the Virgin Mary nor of the Holy Apostles and Evangelists and which may be a little observable it is very seldom if ever that the Ancients give the Title of Saints to those Holy Persons but singly style them Peter Paul John c. not St. Peter St. Paul or St. John § 7. But now there was another sort of Festivals which every Church Celebrated in the Commemoration of its own Martyrs which was on the Anniversary Day of their Martyrdoms They assembled together where they recited the Martyrs Glorious Actions exhorted to an Imitation of them and blessed God for them So says Cyprian The Passions of the Martyrs we Celebrate with an Anniversary Commemoration And so writes Tertullian Vpon the Annual Day of the Martyrs Sufferings we offer Thanks to God for them When this Practice began cannot certainly be determined it is first found mentioned in the Letter of the Church of Smirna to the Church of Philomilium touching the Death of Polycarp wherein they write That they had gathered up his Martyr'd Bones and buried them in a
this Enquiry with an earnest Perswasion to Peace Vnity and Moderation § 1. HAving in the precedent Chapters enquired into the several Parts of Divine Worship and the Circumstances thereof I now come to close up all with a brief Appendix concerning Rites and Ceremonies by which I mean two different things By Rites I understand such Actions as have an 〈◊〉 Relation to the Circumstances or manner of Worship As for Instance The Sacrament was to be received in one manner or other but whether from the Bishop or Deacon that was the Rite Lent was to be observed a certain space of Time but whether One Day or Two Days or Three Days that was the Rite thereof So that Rites 〈◊〉 necessary Concomitants of the Circumstances of Divine Worship Appendages to them or if you rather please you may call them Circumstances themselves By Ceremonies I mean such Actions as have no regard either to the Manner or Circumstances of Divine Worship but the Acts thereof may be performed without them as for instance In some Churches they gave to Persons when they were baptized Milk and Hony And Before they prayed they washed their Hands Now both these Actions I call Ceremonies because they were not necessary to the Discharge of those Acts of Divine Worship unto which they were affixed but those Acts might be performed without them as Baptism might be entirely administred without the Ceremony of giving Milk and Hony and Prayers might be presented without washing of Hands Now having explained what I intend by those two Terms of Rites and Ceremonies let us in the next place consider the Practice of the Primitive Church with reference thereunto And first for Ceremonies § 2. It is apparent that there were many of that kind crept into the Church of whom we may say that from the beginning they were not so For when the Quire of the Apostles was dead till which time as Hegesippus writes the Church remained a pure and unspotted Virgin then the Church was gradually 〈◊〉 and corrupted as in her Doctrin so also in her Worship an Infinity of Ceremonies by degrees insensibly sliding in very many of which were introduced within my limited time as the eating of Milk Hony after Baptism the abstaining from Baths the Week after the washing of their Hands before Prayer their sitting after Prayer and many other such like which through various ways and means winded themselves into the Church as some came in through Custom and Tradition one eminent Man perhaps invented and practised a certain Action which he used himself as Judging it fit and proper to stir up his Devotion and Affection others being led by his Example performed the same and others again imitated them and so one followed another till at length the Action became a Tradition and Custom after which manner those Ceremonies were introduced of tasting Milk and Hony after Baptism of abstaining from the Baths the whole ensuing Week of not kneeling on the Lords Day and the space between Easter and Whitsuntide of the Signing of themselves with the Sign of the Cross in all their Actions and Conversations concerning which and the like Tertullian writes That there was no Law in Scripture for them but that Tradition was their Author and Custom their Confirmer Of which Custom we may say what Tertullian says of Custom in general that commonly Custom takes its rise from Ignorance and Simplicity which by Succession is corroborated into use and so vindicated against the Truth But our Lord Christ hath called himself Truth and not Custom wherefore if Christ was always and before all then Truth was first and ancientest it is not so much Novelty as Verity that confutes Hereticks Whatsoever is against the Truth is Heresie although it be an old Custom Others again were introduced through a wrong Exposition or Misunderstanding of the Scripture so were their Exorcisms before Baptism and their Unctions after Baptism as in their proper places hath been already shewn Finally Others crept in through their Dwelling amongst the Pagans who in their ordinary Conversations used an Infinity of Superstitions and many of those Pagans when they were converted to the Saving Faith Christianiz'd some of their innocent former Ceremonies as they esteemed them to be either 〈◊〉 them deceut and proper to stir up their Devotion or likely to gain over more Heathens who were offended at the plainness and nakedness of the Christian Worship of which sort were their washing of Honds before Prayer their sitting after Prayer and such like Concerning which Tertullian affirms that they were practised by the Heathens So that by these and such like Methods it was that so many Ceremonies imperceptibly slid into the Ancient Church of some of which Tertullian gives this severe Censure That they are deservedly to be condemned as vain because they are done without the Authority of any Precept either of our Lord or of his Apostles that they are not Religious but Superstitius affected and constrained curious rather than reasonable and to be abstained from because Heathenish § 3. As for the Rites and Customs of the Primitive Church these were indifferent and arbitrary all Churches being left to their own Freedom and Liberty to follow their peculiar Customs and Usages or to embrace those of others if they pleased from whence it is that we find such a variety of Methods in their Divine Services many of which 〈◊〉 be observed in the precedent part of this Discourse as some received the Lords Supper at one time others at another Some Churches received the Elements from the Hands of the Bishop others from the Hands of the Deacons some made a Collection before the Sacrament others after some kept Lent one Day some two days and others exactly forty Hours some celebrated Easter on the same Day with the Jewish Passover others the Lords Day after and so in many other things one Church differed from another as Firmilian writes that at Rome they did not observe the same Day of Easter nor many other Customs which were practised at Jerusalem and so in most Provinces many Rites were varied according to the Diversities of Names and Places So that every Church followed its own particular Customs although different from those of its Neighbours it being nothing necessary to the Unity of the Church to have an Uniformity of Rites for according to Firmilian the Unity of the Church consisted in an unanimity of Faith and Truth not in an Uniformity of Modes and Customs for on the contrary the Diversity of them as Irenaeus speaks with reference to the Fast of Lent did commend and set forth the Vnity of the Faith Hence every Church peaceably followed her own Customs without obliging any other Churches to observe the same or being obliged by them to observe the Rites that they used yet still maintaining a loving Correspondence and mutual Concord each with other as Firmilian writes that in most Provinces
many Rites were varied according to the Diversities of Names and Places but yet saith he never any one for this broke the Peace and Vnity of the Church One Church or Bishop did not in those days Anathematize another for a disagreement in Rites and Customs except when Victor Bishop of Rome through his Pride and Turbulency excommunicated the Asiatick Bishops for their different Observation of Easter from the Church of Rome which Action of his was very ill resented by the other Bishops of the Christian Churches and condemned by them as alien from Peace and Unity and contrary to that Love and Charity which is the very Soul and Spirit of the Gospel even the Bishops of his own Party that celebrated Easter on the same Day that he did censured his 〈◊〉 and violence as unchristian and uncharitable and writ several Letters wherein they severely checkt him as Eusebius reports in whose time they were extant all which are now lost except the Fragment of an Epistle written by Irenaeus and other Bishops of France wherein they affirm that Victor was in the right with respect to the time of Easter that it ought to be celebrated as he said on the Lords Day but that yet he had done very 〈◊〉 to cut off from the Vnity of the Church those that observed it otherwise that it had never been known that any Churches were excommunicated for a disagreement in Rites 〈◊〉 of which there was not only in the time of Easter 〈◊〉 self but in the Fast that preceded it Some fasted one day others more some forty hours which variety of Observations began not first in our Age but long before us in the times of our Ancestors who yet preserved Peace and Vnity amongst themselves as we now do for the Diversity of 〈◊〉 commended the Vnity of Faith And as for this 〈◊〉 concerning the time of Easter the Bishops which governed the Church of Rome before Soter viz. Anicetus Pius Higynus Telesphorus and Xystus they never celebrated it the same time with the 〈◊〉 neither would they permit any of their People so to do but yet they 〈◊〉 kind and 〈◊〉 to those who came to them from those 〈◊〉 where they did otherwise observe it and never any for this Cause were thrown out of the Church even your Predecessors though they did not keep it yet they sent the Eucharist to those that did keep it and when in the times of Anicetus blessed Polycarp came to Rome and there were some Controversies between them they did not seperate from one another but still maintained Peace and Love And though Anicetus could never perswade Polycarp nor Polycarp Anicetus to be of each others mind yet they communicated one with another and Anicetus in Honour to Polycarpus permitted him to Consecrate the Sacrament in his Church and so they departed in mutual love and kindness and all the Churches whether observing or not observing the same Day retained Peace and Vnity amongst themselves § 4. But though one Church could not oblige another to a Conformity in Rites and Customs yet a particular Church or Parish could enforce its own Members to such a Conformity an instance whereof we meet with in that famous Controversie about the Time of Easter It was the Custom of the Asiaticks to celebrate that Feast at the Full Moon or at the same time with the Jewish Passover on whatsoever day of the Week it happened It was the manner at Rome to observe it the Lords Day after and both these Churches quietly followed their several Usages without imposing them on each other But yet the Churches of Asia permitted none of their Members to solemnize it after the Roman manner neither did the Churches of Rome or of the West license any of their Inhabitants to celebrate it after the Asiatick manner for if either of them had granted any such thing there must have ensued Confusion and Disorder to have seen Easter differently observed in one and the same Church whilst some Members of a Parish where Fasting to behold others Feasting would have been a perfect Ataxy and Irregularity Therefore though Anioetus Bishop of Rome retained Peace and Unity with Foreign Churches that differed from him as to the Time of Easter without obliging them to a Compliance with the Roman Custom yet he peremptorily required it of the Members of his own Church and would never permit them to Solemnize that Feast on the same time with the Asiaticks So that though every Church had the Liberty to use what Rites she pleased yet every particular Member had not but was obliged to observe the Manners and Customs of that Church where he lived or where he occasionally communicated A Church Collectively or the Majority 〈◊〉 a Church with their Bishop could change their old Customs and introduce new ones as was done in the Affair of Easter the Asiaticks at length submitting to the Roman Usage but till that was done every particular Member was required to follow the old Customs of that Church to which he belonged and not to bring in any Innovations or new Rites because as was said before that would beget Tumults and Disorders and the Persons so acting would be guilty of that Strife and Contention which is condemned by those Words of the Holy Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 16. But if any Man seem to be contentious we have no such custom neither the Churches of God Which is as if the Apostle had said If any Men either to shew their Wit or to head and strengthen a Party will contradict what we have said and affirm it to be decent and comely either for Men to pray covered or Women uncovered This should silence such Contentious Opposers that there is no such Rite or Custom in any of the Churches of God but their Practice is the very same with what we have directed unto and therefore to that they ought peaceably and quietly to submit and yield Thus now I have finished this Enquiry and have as far as I could search'd into what was first proposed If I have not illustrated any Point as clearly as might be expected the reason is because I found nothing farther pertinent thereunto in those Writings to which I am confined if I had I should freely have mentioned it Whether I have been mistaken in the Sense and Meaning of any Passage I must leave unto my Readers to judge all that I can say is that I am not conscious to my self of any wilful and designed Mistakes having throughout this whole Discourse endeavoured deavoured to find out the plain and naked Truth without being byass'd to any Party or Faction whatsoever and that if any one shall be so kind and favourable as to convince me of any Slips or Errors which I may have committed through Inconsideration or want of a due Understanding I shall thankfully acknowledge them and willingly renounce and leave them § 5. What hath been related concerning the Constitution Discipline Unity and Worship of the Primitive
we have Love one to another We may talk what we please of Religion and profess what we list the Word of God is plain that whosoever hath not Love and Charity is no Christian but to allude to that of Christ John 10. 1. He is a Thief and a Robber he hath not the Spirit of God abiding and dwelling in him for The Fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace Long suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance And The Wisdom from above is peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated full of mercy and good Fruit. So that the very Soul and Spirit of Christianity consists in Unity Love and Amity Wherefore let my Intreaties be prevalent with you to endeavour for a mutual Compliance and Comprehension as you have any Regard to the Honour of God and the Credit of Religion as you would hinder the Growth of Damnable Errors and abominable Debaucheries and do what in you lies to prevent the Ruin and Damnation of Multitudes of poor Souls nay as you would secure your own Salvation and be able with Confidence to appear at the dreadful and impartial day of Judgment let me conjure you in the Name of God to love one another with a pure Heart forvently to follow after Righteousness Godliness Faith Love Patience Meekness to forget and pardon all former Injuries and Affronts doing nothing for the time to come through Strife or Vain-Glory but in lowliness of Mind each esteeming others better than themselves doing all things without Murmurings or Disputings avoiding all foolish and unlearned Questions knowing that they do but gender Strifes behaving your selves like the Servants of the Lord who must not strive but be gentle unto all Men apt to teach patient mutually complying with each other doing all things unto Edification labouring after Peace and Unity that so we may at length with one mind and one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And for the Accomplishment of this blessed and glorious Design let us above all things avoid Pride and Vain-glory which as it is to be feared hath had no small share both in the causing and increasing of our Divisions We have been so stiff and self-conceited and stood so much upon the pitiful Punctilio's of Honour that we have refused to condescend to one another or to join in a way of Comprehension or mutual Relaxation which seems to be the only way left for Union and Agreement if ever we hope or intend to have it Wherefore let me address my self unto you in the Words of the Reverend and Moderate Bishop Hall Men Brethren and Fathers help for Gods sake put to your Hands to the Quenching of this common Flame the one side by Humility and Obedience the other by Compassion both by Prayers and Tears And as he so let me beg for Peace as for Life by your Filial Piety to the Church of God whose Ruins follow upon our Divisions by your Love of God's Truth by the Graces of that one blessed Spirit whereby we are all informed and quickened by the precious Blood of that Son of God which was shed for our Redemption be inclined to Peace and Love and though our Brains be different yet let our Hearts be one Let us all endeavonr by a Compliance and a Comprehension to promote Love and Charity Peace and Unity that so being Children of Peace and obedient Subjects of the Prince of Peace the God of Peace may Bless us with Peace Quiet and Serenity here and at the end of our Days receive us into his Eternal Peace and everlasting Rest which God of his infinite Mercy grant may be the Portion of us all through the Merits of his only Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen POSTCRIPT BEcause some Practises and Customs mentioned in the precedent Treatise were not from the first Plantation of Christianity but were afterwards introduced and others might not be universal but only followed in some particular Churches it will not be unnecessary to add a Table of the Names Age and Country of those Fathers and of their Contemporaries who have been cited by us that so we may guess at the time when such Customs were brought in and know the Places where they were chiefly practised Names Countries Age. Several Synods held in Africa between Anno Christi 250 260. Alexander Bishop of Jerusalem Anno 228 Anonymus apud Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 16. p. 182. Lesser Asia 170 Anicetus Bishop of Rome 154 The Synodical Letter of the Council of Antioch held Anno 265 Apollinaris Bishop of 〈◊〉 in Lesser Asia 170 Apollonius  200 Asturius Palastina 260 Aurelius Carthage 〈◊〉 Artemon  196 Babylas Bishop of Antioch 246 Saint Barnabas  50 Basilides the Heretick Alexandria 134 Basilides a Bishop in Spain 258 Celerinus Carthage 253 Letters of the Clergy of Rome to the Clergy of Carthage writ between Anno 250 〈◊〉 Clemens Bishop of Rome 70 Clemens of Alexandria 204 Cornelius Bishop of Rome 252 Crescens Bishop of Certa in Africa 258 Cyprian Bishop of Carthage 250 Dionysius Bishop of Corinth 172 Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria 260 Eusebius a Deacon of Alexandria 259 Fabianus Bishop of Rome Anno 236 Firmilian Bishop of Caesarea in Cap padoeia 250 Fortunatus a Schismatic in Africa 255 Fortunatus Bishop of Thucabori in Africa 258 Gregory Bishop of Neoearsarea 250 Ignatius Bishop of Antioch 109 Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons 184 Justin Martyr Samaria 155 Lucius Bishop of Thebeste in Africa 258 Names Countries Age. A Letter of the Churches of Lyons and Vienne to the Churches of Asia Anno 177 Minucius Felix Rome 230 Martialis a Bishop in Spain 258 Natalis Rome 210 Nemesianus Bishop of Thubunic in Africa 258 Novatian Rome 252 Origen a Presbyter of Alexandria 230 Palmas Bishop of Amastris in Pontus 196 Paulus Samosatenus Bp. of Antioch 265 Plinius an Heathen  110 Polycarpus Bishop of Smirna 140 Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus 196 Pontius a Deacon of Carthage 260 Privatus Bishop of Lambese in Africa 254 Sabinus Bishop of Emerita in Spain 258 Sedatus Bishop of Turbo in Africa 258 Secundinus Bishop of Carpis in Africa 258 An Epistle of the Church of Smirna to the Church of Philomilium 168 Stephen Bishop of Rome 258 Tatianus Syria 180 Tertullian a Presbyter of Carthage 200 Theoctistus Bishop of Caesarea in Palaestina 228 Theophilus Bishop of Caesarea in Palaestina 196 Victor Bishop of Rome 196 Victorinus Petavionensis Hungary 290 Vincentius Bishop of 〈◊〉 in Africa 258 Zoticus Bishop of Comane in Lesser Asia 168 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stromat lib. 2. p. 263. 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 1. cap. 2. p. 34. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 1. cap. 3. p. 36. 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apud Euseb lib. 6. c. 25. p. 226. 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apud Eus. l. 4. c. 15. p. 131. 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epistad Herm. apud Euseb.
in claritate receptus in gloria venturus Salvator eorum qui salvantur Judex eorum qui 〈◊〉 mittens in ignem aeternum transfiguratores veritatis contemptores patris sui adventus ejus Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 4. p 172. Regula est autem Fidei ut jam hinc quid credamus profitearur illa scilicet qua creditur unum omnino Deum esse 〈◊〉 alium praeter mundi creatorem qui universa de nihilo produxerit per verbum suum primo omnium amissum id verbum Filium ejus appellatum in nomine Dei varie visum Patriarchis in Prophetis semper auditum postremo delatum ex spiritu patris Dei virture in Virginem Matiam carnem factum in utero ejus ex ea natum egisse Jesum Christum exinde proedicasse novam legem novam promissionem Regni Coelorum virtutes fecisse fixum cruci tertia die resurrexisse in coelos ereptum sedere ad dexteram patris misisse vicariam vim spiritus sancti qui credentes agant venturum cum claritate ad sumendos sauctos in vitae eternae promissorum coelestium fructum ad 〈◊〉 judicandos igni perpetuo facta utriusque partis resuscitatione cum carnis 〈◊〉 Haec regula a Christo instituta nullas habet apud nos quaestiones nisi quas haereses 〈◊〉 quae haereticos faciunt 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 advers 〈◊〉 p. 73. Unicum quidem Deum credimus sub hac 〈◊〉 dispensatione quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicimus ut unici Dei sit Filius Sermo ipsius qui ex ipso processerit per quem omnia facta sunt sine quo factum est nihil hunc missum a patre in Virginem ex ea natum hominem Deum filium hominis filium Dei cognominatum Jesum Christum hunc passum 〈◊〉 mortuum sepultum secundum scripturas resuscitatum a Patre in coelo resumptum sedere ad dexteram patris venturum judicare vivos 〈◊〉 qui exinde miserat secundum promissionem suam a patre spiritum sanctum Paracletum sanctificatorem fidei eorum qui credunt in patrem filium spiritum sanctum Hanc regulam ab initio Evangelii decucurrisse c. Tertul. advers Praxean p. 316. Regula Fidei una omnino est sola immobilis irreformabilis credendi scilicet in unicum Deum omnipotentem mundi conditorem 〈◊〉 ejus Jesum Christum natum ex Virgine Maria crucifixum sub Pontio Pilato tertio 〈◊〉 resuscitatum a mortuis receptum in coelis sedentem nunc ad dexteram patris venturum 〈◊〉 vivos mortuos per carnis etiam resurrectionem Tertullian de Virginib veland p. 385. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Origen Comment in 〈◊〉 Tom. 32. p. 397. Vol. 2. Unus Deus est qui omnia creavit atque composuit quique ex nullis fecit esse universa Deus a prima creatura conditione mundi omnium justorum Adam Abel Seth Enos c. quod hic Deus in novissimis diebus 〈◊〉 per Prophetas suos ante promiserat 〈◊〉 Dominum 〈◊〉 Jesum Christum 〈◊〉 quidem vocaturum Israel secundo vero etiam gentes post perfidiam populi Israel Hic Deus 〈◊〉 bonus pater domini nostri Jesu Christi Legem Prophetas Evangelia ipse 〈◊〉 qui Apostolorum Deus est veteris novi Testamenti Tum deinde quia Jesus Christus ipse qui venit ante omnem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex patre est Qui cum in omnium conditione 〈◊〉 ministrasset per ipsum enim omnia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 novissimis temporibus seipsum 〈◊〉 homo factus est incarnatus est cum Deus 〈◊〉 homo mansit quod Deus erat Corpus assumpsit corpori nostro simile eo solo 〈◊〉 quod natum ex Virgine Spiritu sancto est quoniam hic Jesus Christus natus 〈◊〉 est in veritate non per imaginem communem hanc mortem vere 〈◊〉 est vere enim a morte resurrexit post resurrectionem conversatus cum 〈◊〉 suis assumptus 〈◊〉 Tum deinde honore ac dignitate Patri ac Filio sociatum tradiderunt Spiritum sanctum in hoc non jam manifeste discernitur utrum 〈◊〉 aut innatus Sed inquirenda jam ista pro viribus sunt de Sacra Scriptura sagaci perquisitione investiganda sane quod iste Spiritus 〈◊〉 unumquemque sanctorum vel Prophetarum vel Apostolorum inspiravit non 〈◊〉 Spiritus in veteribus alius vero in his qui in adventu Christi inspirati sunt manifestissime in Ecclesiis praedicatur Post haec jam quod anima substantiam vitamque habens 〈◊〉 cum ex hoc mundo discesserit pro 〈◊〉 meritis dispensabit sive vitae aeternae ac 〈◊〉 haereditate potitura si hoc ei sua 〈◊〉 praestiterint sive igne aeterno ac 〈◊〉 mancipanda si in hoc eam scelerum culpa detorserit Sed quia erit tempus resurnectionis mortuorum cum corpus hoc quod in 〈◊〉 seminatur surget in incorruptione quod seminatur in ignominia surget in gloria Origen in Proaem lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Credis in Deum Patrem Filium Christum Spiritum Sanctum remissionem peccatorum Vitam AEternam per Sanctam 〈◊〉 Cyprian Epist. 76. § 6. p. 248. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gregor 〈◊〉 § 7. These are all the Creeds that I have met with in which the Words are various but generally recurring to the 〈◊〉 Sense It would be too tedious to translate them all wherefore I shall sum them up in the Creed commonly call'd the Apostles and thereby shew their Congruity and Agreement as also what is in the Apostles Creed more than in these Now the Articles of the Apostles Creed that are to be found in the 〈◊〉 Creeds are as follows I believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried The Third Day he rose again from the Dead ascended into Heaven sitteth at the Right Hand of God the Father Almighty from whence he shall come to judge both the Quick and the Dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholick 〈◊〉 the Forgiveness of Here are now two Clauses of our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. He descended into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Communion of 〈◊〉 § 8. If we would know how they were 〈◊〉 we must first consider how the whole Creed was framed which I conceive was done these two ways First Some of the Articles were derived down from the very Days of the Apostles Secondly Others were afterwards added in opposition to Heresies as they sprung up in the Church First Some of the Articles were 〈◊〉 down from the very Days of the 〈◊〉 such were these I believe in God the 〈◊〉 or as
the Greek Creeds read it in one 〈◊〉 the Father in opposition to the Polytheism of the Heathens and in Jesus Christ his only 〈◊〉 Son our Lord I believe in the Holy 〈◊〉 the Resurrection of the Body and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lasting For in the Days of the 〈◊〉 as well 〈◊〉 afterwards it was the Practice at Baptism to demand the baptized 〈◊〉 assent 〈◊〉 the fundamental Articles of the 〈◊〉 Faith us Philip did the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst which Fundamentals we may be 〈◊〉 they reckoned the Doctrine of the 〈◊〉 because they were baptized in the Name and Dedicated to the Service of the 〈◊〉 and that of the Unity of the Godhead because it was the great 〈◊〉 and design of their Preaching to overturn the Pagans multiplicity of Deities and that of the Resurrection of the 〈◊〉 and the Life everlasting because that was the Characteristick or Peculiar Doctrine of the 〈◊〉 Religion by which it was eminently 〈◊〉 from other Sects and Opinions and was the only Comfort and support of the Christians under their Sufferings and Martyrdoms according to that of St. Paul 1. 〈◊〉 15. 29. If the Dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for the Dead As for the other Articles of the Creed viz. Such as are predicated of Christ as His being conceived of the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary c. and those other two The Holy Catholick Church and The Forgiveness of Sins I conceive them to be introduced the second way viz. in opposition to Heresies as they sprung up in the Church as was conceived by the Holy Ghost in opposition to the 〈◊〉 Ebionites and Cerinthians who taught that Christ was born in the ordinary and common way as other Men and Women are Was born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate c. in contradiction to the Docetae Simonians and others who affirmed Christ to be a Man not really but only Phantastically or in appearance of which Hereticks 〈◊〉 speaks and 〈◊〉 them his forementioned Creed seems particularly to be levelled The Remission of Sins against the Basitidians who held that not all Sins but only involuntary ones would be remitted or rather against the Novatians who denied remission to the Lapsed The Holy Catholick Church to exclude thereby all 〈◊〉 and Schismaticks from being within the Pale thereof By these two ways then was the Creed composed and by the latter hereof were those two Articles introduced of Christ's Descent into Hell and of the Communion of Saints The Communion of Saints was brought in last of all The Descent into Hell towards the 〈◊〉 end of the Fourth Century into the manner and occasion whereof as also the intent and meaning of this Article I had designed once to enquire having made some Collections concerning it but finding I should be then forc'd to pass the Limits of my prescribed time I have thought it expedient to omit it and to return to those Points from whence I have so long digressed CHAP. IV. § 1. Of Godfathers § 2. 〈◊〉 preceded Baptism The Form and Reason thereof § 3. Next came Baptism its self The Sacramental Water 〈◊〉 by Prayer § 4. The Person Baptized in the Name of the Trinity § 5. 〈◊〉 or dipping generally used § 6. Sometimes Perfusion or Sprinkling The Validity thereof considered § 7. After Baptism followed Prayers § 1. HAving in the former Chapter made a little Digression I now return to the matter that first occasioned it which was the Questions proposed to the Persons to be Baptized unto which Adult Persons answered for themselves and Susceptors or Godfathers for Children Of these Susceptors or Sponsors 〈◊〉 speaks where he thus adviseth the delay of Childrens Baptism What necessity is there that Sponsors should expose themselves to danger who through Death may 〈◊〉 of the Performance of their Promises or may be deceived by the wicked Disposition of those they promise for Whether the use of Sponsors was from the Apostles Days I cannot determine unless the Negative may be conjectured from Justin 〈◊〉 Tertullian's Senior by Fisty Years who when he enumerates the Method and Form of Baptism says not one Word of Sponsors or Godfathers as may be seen in his Second Apology Pag. 93 94. § 2. When these Questions and Answers were ended then followed Exorcization the manner and end whereof was this The Minister put his Hands on the Persons Head that was to be Baptized and breathed in his Face implying thereby the Exorcization or expelling of the Devil or Evil Spirit from him and a preparing of him for Baptism and Confirmation when and where the good and holy Spirit was conferred and given This Practice I find mentioned by Clemens Alexandrinus who speaks of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Exorcism before Baptism but more fully by some of those Bishops that were present at that famous Council of Carthage held Anno 258 in whose Determinations Exorcization is required as previous and antecedent to Baptism Thus in that of Crescens Bishop of Cirta I judge saith he that all Hereticks and Schismaticks who would come to the Catholick Church are not to be admitted till they have been first Exorcized and 〈◊〉 So also said Lucius Bishop of 〈◊〉 It is my Opinion that all Hereticks are to 〈◊〉 exorcized and baptized And thus more clearly Vincentius Bishop of Thibaris We know Hereticks to be worse than 〈◊〉 If therefore they would turn and come to the Lord we have a Rule of Truth which the Lord commanded the 〈◊〉 saying Go in my 〈◊〉 lay on Hands and cast out Devils Mark 16. 17. And in another place Go and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Matth. 28. 19. Therefore first let them come by Imposition of Hands in Exorcism and then by the Regeneration of Baptism that so they may be made Partakers of Christ's Promises but otherwise I think they cannot From this last Determination we may observe the Reason of these Exorcisms which arose from a misunderstanding of Christ's Valedictory Speech to his Disciples in Mark 16 17 c. In the 16th Verse of that Chapter 〈◊〉 them to go forth preaching the Gospel and to Baptize which was to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perpetual Ministration to the end of the World Then he proceeds to tell them v. 17 18. that for the speedier propagation of the Gofpel and that the Heathens 〈◊〉 the more readily embrace it he would confer on them and the first Preachers 〈◊〉 of the Gift of working Miracles that in 〈◊〉 Name they should cast out Devils and speak with new Tongues as they most 〈◊〉 did at the Day of Pentecost That they should take up Serpents as Paul did at 〈◊〉 without receiving any Injury and if they 〈◊〉 any deadly thing it should not hurt them They should say Hands on the Sick and they should recover All which they did as Ecclesiastical Histories 〈◊〉 testifie and St. Mark closes
Resurrection during which time they thought themselves by the forementioned Command obliged to fast Secondly From hence we may observe the Duration of this Fast or how long it was continued and that was from the time that Christ the Bridegroom was taken away to the time that he was restored again that is from his Passion to his Resurrection Now according to their Various Computations of the beginning and end of Christ's being taken away so was the Duration of their Fast some might reckon from Christ's Agony in the 〈◊〉 others from his being betrayed by Judas 〈◊〉 again from his being fastned to the Cross and others from his being actually dead and so according to these Diversities of Computations were their Fasts either lengthened or shortned This we may probably suppose to be the occasion of the different Observations of this Fast with respect to its Duration as we find it in Irenaeus Some says he esteem that they must fast but one Day others two others more and some allow to this Fast forty Hours Which last space of Time seems to have been their general and common Allowance Whence this Fast was afterwards called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Quadragesima that is not a Fast of Forty Days in imitation of Christ's Fasting in the Wilderness but a Fast of Forty Hours beginning at Friday Twelve a Clock about which time Christ was dying and ending Sunday Morning when Christ arose So that from Twelve a Clock Good Friday as we call it when Christ the Bridegroom was taken away they fasted in obedience to his Command as they imagined till Sunday Morning when he was found again by his Resurrection at which time they forgot their Sorrow and Mourning concluded their Fast and began the joyful Festival of Easter or of Christs Resurrection § 4. As for the manner of their Fasts we may observe them to be of three sorts viz. Statio Jejunium and Superpositio Station Fasts and Superposition all which three are at once mentioned by Victorinus Petavionensis We fast says he till the ninth hour or till evening or their is a Superposition till the next morning I. There was the Fast of Stations which ended at Three a Clock in the Afternoon or at the Ninth Hour as it is called in the forecited Passage of Victorinus Petavionensis This sort of Fasting was used on 〈◊〉 and Fridays which Days as we have shewn before were called Stationary Days and on them Divine Services were ended at Three a Clock in the Afternoon for which Reason Montanising Tertullian terms them The Half Fasts of Stations II. The next sort was strictly called Jejunium or a Fast which according to the 〈◊〉 place of Victorinus Petavionensis lasted till Evening Of this sort it is probable their Occasional Fasts were as Tertullian writes In times of necessity and danger we dry up our selves with Fasting abstain from all Meat roll our selves in Dust and Ashes and by these means cause God to have mercy upon us Though it is also likely that in times of more eminent Danger they extended these Fasts unto that of Superposition The Second sort of Fasts was observed by some on Fridays who turned the Station into a Fast as Victorinus Petavionensis writes On Friday in Commemoration of the Lord's Passion I either keep a Station or observe a Fast. III. The last sort of Fasts was called Superposition or as by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which lasted till the Morning of the next Day according to that of Victorinus Petavionensis Let Superposition be done till the next Day As for the times when this Fast was observed I find that in some of the Western Churches they so kept every Saturday throughout the Year fasting thereon till Midnight or till the beginning of Sunday Morning as Victorinus Petavioniensis says Let Superposition be done on Saturday lest we should seem to observe the Jewish Sabbath But not only in these but in other Churches also they so fasted on Easter Eve or on the Saturday preceeding that Sunday which being Lent was so necessary and usual that Tertullian enumerating those particular Acts of Divine Worship that a Christian Woman could not freely perform if married to a Pagan Husband reckons this as one That on Easter Eve she could not stay up and watch that Night But to please her Husband must be diverted from this necessary Fast that usher'd in the Glorious Festival of Easter which brings me in the next place to enquire into this and their other Feasts of which in the ensuing Chapter CHAP. IX § 1. Of the Primitive Feasts two-fold Occasional and Fix'd § 2. Of Easter § 3. Of Whitsunday § 4. Of Christmas On what Day of the Year Christ was born § 5. Of Epiphany § 6. Besides these no other Feasts in Commemoration of Christ the Virgin Mary or the Apostles The Apostles not called Saints in the Primitive Writings § 7. Festivals in Commemoration of the Martyrs Observed on the Annual Day of their Martyrdom Persons appointed to take an exact Account of the Day of their Decease § 8. Why those Festivals were observed The Day of the Martyrs Death termed their Birth days § 9. The Place where these Festivals were Solemnized Of the Buryingplace of the Ancients § 10. The manner of the Observation of these Festivals § 1. AS the Primitive Fasts were two-fold so likewise were their Feasts either Occasional or Fixed As for those that were Occasional I shall pass them over because not controverted and come immediately to enquire into their Fixed Feasts which as their Fasts were also two-fold either Weekly or Annual Of their Weekly Feasts which were Sundays and in the Oriental Churches Saturdays I have already discoursed so that there only remains an Enquiry into their Annual Feasts which befides the Martyrs Festivals were two viz. Easter and Whitsunday or at most Three viz Easter Whitsunday and Christmass of each of which in their Order § 2. I begin with Easter as being the antientest Feast of all concerning which Tertullian writes We Celebrate Easter in the first Month every Year Cyprian mentions their Easter Solemnities And Origen reckons Easter as one of the four Festivals observed in his time But that they Solemnized Easter is a thing so well known that it will be unnecessary to prove it especially since every one knows or at least might easily know those sharp Contests and Debates that were in the Church about the time when it should be kept the whole Affair hath been at large related by several Hands in our own Tongue amongst others by the most learned Dr. Cave in his Apostolici in the Life of Irenaeus to which I refer the Curious contenting my self with giving a very brief Account of the Controversie which was this The Churches of the Lesser Asia kept their Easter the same day that the Jews kept their Passover on what day of the Week soever it happen'd The Church of Rome with