one but all Men ought to be admitted to the Grace of Christ as Peter saith in the Acts of the Apostles that the Lord said unto him that he should call no Man common or unclean But if any thing can hinder Men from Baptism it will be hainous Sins that will debar the Adult and Mature therefrom and if those who have sinned extremely against God yet if afterwards they 〈◊〉 are baptized and no Man is prohibited 〈◊〉 this Grace how much more ought not an Insant to be 〈◊〉 who being but just born is guilty of 〈◊〉 Sin but of Original which he 〈◊〉 from Adam Who ought the more 〈◊〉 to be received to the remission of Sins 〈◊〉 not his own but others sins are remitted to him Wherefore dearly beloved it is our Opinion that from 〈◊〉 and the Grace of God who is merciful kind and benign to all none 〈◊〉 to be prohibited by us which as it is to be observed and followed with respect to all so especially with respect to Infants and those that are but just born who deserve our Help and the Divine 〈◊〉 because at the first instant of their Nativity they beg it by their Cries and Tears Apud Cyprian 〈◊〉 59. § 2 3 4. p. 164 165. So that here is as Formal Synodical Decree for the Baptism of Infants as possibly can be 〈◊〉 which being the Judgment of a Synod is more 〈◊〉 and cogent than that of a private Father it being supposable that a 〈◊〉 Father might write his own particular Judgment and Opinion but the Determinations of a Synod or Council denote the common Practice and Usage of the Whole Church § 3. It is evident then that Infants were baptifed in the Primitive Ages and as for the Baptism of the Adult that being own'd by all it will be needless to prove it These were 〈◊〉 grown in Years able to judge and 〈◊〉 for themselves who relinquished Paganism and came over to the Christian Faith What Qualifications were required in them previous or antecedent to Baptism I need not here relate since I have already handled this Point in the Sixth Chapter of the former Treatise to which I refer the Reader In short such as these were first instructed in the 〈◊〉 Faith continued some time in the Rank of the 〈◊〉 till they had given good Proofs of their Resolutions to 〈◊〉 a pious religious Life and had protested their Assent and Consent to all the Christian Verities and then they were solemnly baptized Which brings 〈◊〉 to the third thing proposed 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of Baptism which for the main was as 〈◊〉 § 4. The Person to be baptized was first asked several Questions by the Bishop or by him that Officiated unto which he was to give his Answer concerning which Baptismal Questions and Answers Dionysius 〈◊〉 speaks in his Letter to Xystus Bishop of 〈◊〉 wherein he writes of a certain sorupulous Person in his Church who was exceedingly troubled when he was present at Baptism and heard the Questions and Answers of those that were Baptized Which Questions Firmilian styles the lawful and usual Interrogatories of Baptism Now these Questions and Answers were two-fold First Of Abjuration of the Devil and all his Works And Secondly Of a Firm Assent to the Articles of the Christian Faith First Of Abjuration The Minister proposed this Question to the Party baptized or to this Effect Do you renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh To which he answered Yes So writes 〈◊〉 When 〈◊〉 are baptized 〈◊〉 renounce the World the Devil and his Angels And with 〈◊〉 Mouth we have vowed to renounce the World the 〈◊〉 and his Angels And We have renounced the Devil and his Angels And Thou hast 〈◊〉 to renounce the World the Devil and his Angels And We were called to the Warfare of the Living God when we promised in the Words of Baptism To the same effect also says Cyprian When we were baptized we renounced the World And We have renounced the World its Pomps and Delights And The Servant of God has renounced the Devil and the World And We have renounced the World and by the Faith of Spiritual Grace have cast off its Riches and Pomps And We 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Devil and the World And so likewise saith Clemens Alexandrinus that in Baptism we renounced the Devil The Second Question was Whether the Party to be Baptized did believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith to which he answered Yes as Justin Martyr writes that those who were to be baptized were to give their Assent to the things that were 〈◊〉 and held by them So Cyprian writes that at Baptism they asked the Baptised Person 's Assent to this Creed Whether he believed in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost remission of Sins and eternal Life through the Church And that at Baptism they asked Dost thou believe 〈◊〉 Life everlasting and remission of Sins through the Holy Church These Articles of Faith to which the Baptized Persons gave their Assent are called by Cyprian The Law of the Symbol And by Novatian The Rule of Truth § 5. And here since we have mentioned the Symbol it will be no unuseful Digression to enquire a little into the Ancient Creeds for as for that Creed which is commonly called the Aposties all Learned Persons are now agreed that it was never composed by them neither do I find it within my prescribed Time But though they had not that yet they had other Creeds very like thereunto which contained the fundamental Articles of the Christian Faith 〈◊〉 which all Christians gave their Assent and 〈◊〉 and that publickly at Baptism whence as before it is called by Cyprian The Law of the Symbol and by Novatian The Rule of Truth This Creed was handed down from Father to Son as a brief Summary of the necessary Scripture Truths not in ipsissimis verbis or in the same set Words but only the Sense or Substance thereof which is evident from that we never find the Creed twice repeated in the same Words no not by one and the same Father which that it may the more manifestly appear as also that we may see the Congruity and Affinity of the Ancient Creeds with our Present Creed commonly call'd the Apostles I shall 〈◊〉 in their Original Language all the whole Creeds and Pieces of Creeds that I find within my limited Bounds which together with the Authors wherein they are to be 〈◊〉 are as follows § 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. Epist. ad 〈◊〉 p. 52. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 1. c. 2. p. 35 36 〈◊〉 in unum Deum fabricatorem 〈◊〉 ac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae in eis sunt per Christum Jesum Dei Filium qui propter 〈◊〉 erga Figmentum suum dilectionem 〈◊〉 quae esset ex Virgine generationem 〈◊〉 ipse per se hominem adunans Deo passus sub Pontio Pilato resurgens
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
the whole Earth profess Faith in Christ then we may consider its Unity in this Sense either Negatively wherein it did not consist or Positively wherein it did consist Negatively It consisted not in an Uniformity of Rites and Customs for every particular Church was at liberty to follow its own proper Usages One Church was not obliged to observe the Rites of another but every one followed its own peculiar Customs Thus with respect to their Fast before Easter there was a great Diversity in the Observation of it in some Churches they fasted one Day in others two in some more and in others forty Hours but yet still they retained Peace and Concord the diversity of their Customs commending the Vnity of their Faith So also the Feast of Easter its self was variously celebrated The Asiatick Churches kept it on a distinct Day from the Europeans but yet still they retained Peace and Love and for the diversity of such Customs none were ever cast out of the Communion of the Church So likewise writes Firmilian That in most Provinces their Rites were varied according to the Diversities of Names and Places and that for this no one ever departed from the Peace and Vnity of the Catholick Church So that the Unity of the Church Universal consisted not in an Uniformity of Rites and Usages Neither in the next Place did it consist in an Unanimity of Consent to the Non-essential Points of Christianity but every one was lest to believe in those lesser matters as God should inform him Therefore Justin Martyr speaking of those Jewish Converts who had adhered to the Mosaical Rites says that if they did this only through their Weakness and 〈◊〉 and did not perswade other Christians to the observance of the same Judaical Customs that he would receive them into Church-fellowship and Communion Whosoever imposed on particular Churches the observance of the former of these two things or on particular Persons the belief of the latter they were esteemed not as Preservers and Maintainers but as Violaters and Breakers of the Churches Unity and Concord An Instance of the former we have in that Controversie between the Churches of the East and West touching the time when Easter was to be celebrated For when Victor Bishop of Rome had Excommunicated the 〈◊〉 Churches because they continued to observe that Feast on a different time from the Churches of the West not only the Bishops of the adverse Party but even those of his own side condemned him as rash heady and turbulent and writ several Letters about this Affair wherein as the Historian writes they most sharply censured him As for the Latter we have an instance thereof in the Controversie that was between Stephen Bishop of Rome and Cyprian Bishop of Carthage touching the Validity of Hereticks Baptism For when Stephen Anathematized Cyprian because he held the Baptism of Hereticks to be null and void other Bishops condemned Stephen as a Breaker and Disturber of the Churches Peace And amongst others Firmilian a Cappadocian Bishop vehemently accuses him as such because that he would impose upon others the Belief of such a disputable Point which says he was never wonted to be done but every Church followed their own different ways and never therefore broke the Vnity and Peace of the Catholick Church which now saith he Stephen dares to do and breaks that Peace which the ancient Bishops always preserved in mutual Love and Honour And therefore we find in the Acts of that great Council of Carthage convened to determine this matter that when Cyprian summ'd up the Debates thereof he dehorts his Fellow-Bishops from the imposing Humour and Temper of Stephen It now remains saith he that every one of us declare our Judgments concerning this matter judging no Man or removing any one from our Communion if he think otherwise than we do for let none of us make himself a Bishop of Bishops or by a Tyrannical Terror compel his Colleagues to the necessity of obeying So that the forcing a Belief in these lesser matters was Cruelty and Tyranny in the Imposers thereof who for such unreasonable Practices were look'd upon as Enemies to and Violators of the Churches Concord being the true Schismaticks inasmuch as they were the Cause of Schism and Division unto whom therefore may be applyed that Saying of Irenaeus That at the last Day Christ shall judge those who cause Schisms who are inhumane not having the fear of God but prefering their own advantage before the Unity of the Church for trivial and slight Causes rent and divide the great and glorious Body of Christ and as much as in them lies destroy it who speak Peace but wage War truly straining at a Gnat and swallowing a Camel § 3. But Positively The Unity of the Church Universal consisted in an Harmonious Assent to the Essential Articles of Religion or in an Unanimous Agreement in the Fundamentals of Faith and Doctrine Thus 〈◊〉 having recited a Creed or a short Summary of the Christian Faith not much unlike to the Aposiles Creed immediately adds The Church having received this Faith and Doctrine although dispersed through the whole World diligently preserves it as tho' she inhabited but one House and accordingly she believes these things as 〈◊〉 she had but one Soul and one Heart and consonantly preaches and teaches these things as tho' she had but one Mouth for altho' there are various Languages in the World yet the Doctrine is one and the same so that the Churches in Germany France Asia AEgypt or Lybia have not a different Faith but as the Sun is one and the same to all the Creatures of God in the whole World So the Preaching of the Word is a Light that enlightens every where and illuminates all Men that would come to the knowledge of the Truth Now this Bond of Unity was broken when there was a Recession from or a Corruption of the true Faith and Doctrine as Irenaeus speaks concerning Tatian the Father of the Encratites that as long as his Master Justin Martyr lived he held the found Faith but after his Death falling off from the Church he shaped that new Form of Doctrine This Unity of the Church in Doctrine according to Hegesippus continued till the Days of Simeon Cleopas Bishop of Jerusalem who was Martyred under Trajan but after that false Teachers prevailed such as the 〈◊〉 Marcionists 〈◊〉 and others from whom sprung false Christs false Apostles and false Prophets who by their corrupt Doctrines against God and his Christ divided the Unity of the Church So that the Unity of the Church Universal consisted in an agreement of Doctrine and the Corruption of that Doctrine was a Breach of that Unity and whoever so broke it are said to divide and separate the Unity of the Church or which is all one to be Schismaticks So Irenaeus writes that those that introduced new Doctrines did divide and separate the Unity
of the Church And Cyprian writes that the Devil found out Heresies and Sehisms by which he might subvert the Faith corrupt the Truth and divide the Unity But now for Distinctions sake the Breach of this Unity was commonly called Heresie and the word Schism generally applyed to the Breach of the Churches Unity in another sense of which more in the other Sections § 4. If in the next place we consider the Word Church collectively as denoting a Collection of many particular Churches in which Sense it is once used in Cyprian Then its Unity may have consisted in a Brotherly correspondence with and affection toward each other which they demonstrated by all outward Expressions of Love and Concord as by receiving to Communion the Members of each other as Irenaeus mentions was observ'd between the Churches of Rome and Asia in mutually advising and assisting one another by Letters or otherwise of which there are frequent instances in the Ancients and especially in Cyprian's Epistles and in manifesting all other Marks and Tokens of their Love and Concord Now this Unity was broken when Particular Churches clash'd with each other when from being possess'd with Spirits of Meekness Love and Charity they were inflamed with Hatred Rage and Fury against each other A sad Instance whereof we have in that Controversie betwixt Cyprian and Stephen or rather between the Churches of Europe and Africa touching the Validity of Heretical Baptism wherein those good Men were so far transported with Bitterness and Rancour against each other that they interchangeably gave such 〈◊〉 Language and invidious Epithets as are too odious to name which if the Reader be curious to know he may find too much of it in Cyprian's Epistles Or if several particular Churches had for the promotion of Peace Unity and Order regularly disposed themselves into a Synodical Government and Discipline as was always done when their Circumstances and Conveniencies would permit them then whoever broke or violated their reasonable Canons were censured as turbulent and factious as it hath been evidenced in the former Chapter and needs no farther Proof in this because that the Schism of the Ancients was not a Breach of the Churches Unity in this Sense viz. as denoting or signifying a Church Collective § 5. But Schism principally and originally respected a particular Church or Parish tho' it might consequentially influence others too Now the Unity of a particular Church consisted in the Members Love and Amity toward each other and in their due Subjection or Subordination to their Pastour or Bishop Accordingly the Breach of that Unity consisted in these two things either in a Hatred and Malice of each other or in a Rebellion against their Lawful Pastour or which is all one in a causeless Separation from their Bishop and those that adhered to him As for the first of these there might be Envies and Discords between the Inhabitants of a Parish without a formal Separation from Communion which Jars and Feuds were called Schism an Instance whereof we find in the Church of Corinth unto whom St. Paul objected in 1 Cor. 11. 18. When ye come together in the Church I hear that there be Divisions or as it is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schisms amongst you Here there was no separate Communion for they all came together in the Church and yet there were Schisms amongst them that is Strifes Quarrels and Discords And as far as I can perceive from the Epistle of Clemens Romanus which was writ to appease another Schism in the same Church of Corinth there were then only Turmoils and Differences without any actual Separation But on this I shall not enlarge because it is not what the Ancients ordinarily meant by Schism § 6. But that which they generally and commonly termed Schism was a Rebellion against or an ungrounded and causless Separation from their Lawful Pastour or their Parish-Church Now because I say that a causless Separation from their Bishop was Schism it will be necessary to know how many Causes could justifie the Peoples Desertion of their Pastour and these I think were two or at most three the first was Apostacy from the Faith or when a Bishop renounced the Christian Faith and through fear of Persecution embraced the Heathenish Idolatries as was done in the case of Martialis and Basilides two Spanish Bishops and was justified by an African Synod as is to be seen throughout their whole Synodical Epistle still extant amongst those of Cyprian's The second Cause was Heresie as Irenaeus saith We must fly far off from all Hereticks And Origen allows the People to separate from their Bishop if they could accuse him of false and 〈◊〉 Doctrine A third Cause was a scandalous and wicked Life as is asserted by an African Synod held Anno 258. whose Exhortations and Arguments to this purpose may be seen at large in their Synodical Epistle still extant in Cyprian Epist. 68. p. 200. out of which several Passages pertinent to this occasion have been already cited in the sixth Chapter of this Treatise to which I must refer the Reader Of this mind also was Irenaeus before them who writes That as for those Presbyters who serve their Pleasures and have not the fear of God before their Eyes who contumeliously use others are lifted up with Pride and secretly commit wickedness from 〈◊〉 such Presbyters we ought to separate Origen indeed seems to be of another mind and thinks that the Bishops Immorality in Life could not justifie his Parishes Separation He saith he that hath a care of his Soul will not be scandalized at my Faults who am his Bishop but considering my Doctrine and finding it agreeable to the Churches Faith from me indeed he will be averse but he will receive my Doctrine according to the Precept of the Lord which saith The Scribes and 〈◊〉 sit on Moses his Chair whatever therefore they say unto you hear and do but according unto their Works do not for they say and do not That Scripture is of me who teach what is good and do the contrary and sit upon the Chair of Moses as a Scribe or Pharisee the Precept is to thee O People if thou canst not accuse me of false Doctrine or Heretical Opinions but only beholdest my wicked and sinful Life thou must not square thy Life according to my Life but do those things which I speak Now whether Irenaeus or an African Synod or Origen be to be most credited I leave the Learned to judge tho' I think they may be both nearer reconciled than they seem to be Irenaeus and that Synod affirming that the People of their own Power and Authority might immediately without the concurrent Assent of other Churches upon the Immorality and Scandal of their Bishop leave and desert him Origen restraining the People from present Execution till they had the Authority of a Synod for so doing for thus he must be understood or else
he makes concerning it in one of his Commentaries How is it possible saith he that a Question either in Ethicks Physicks or Divinity should be understood as it ought without Logick You shall hear no Absurdity from those who are skill'd in Logick and diligently search out the signification of words whereas many times thro' our ignorance in Logick we greatly err not distinguishing Homonymies Amphibolies the different Vsages Properties and Distinction of Words as some from the Ignorance of the Homonymy of the word World have sell into wicked Opinions touching its Maker not diseerning what that signifies in 1 John 5. 19. The World lies in wickedness where they understanding by the World the frame of Heaven and Earth and all Creatures therein blaspheme the Creator thereof by affirming that the Sun Moon and Stars which move in so exact an Order lie in Wickedness So also thro' the same Ignorance they know not the true Sense of that Text in 1 John 30. This is the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the World Neither of that in 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself Wherefore if we would not err about the true sense of the Holy Scripture it is necessary that we understand Logick which art of Logick the foresaid Father thinks is recommended to us by Solomon in Prov. 10. 17. He that refuseth Reproof or Logick as he rendreth it erreth Clemens Alexandrinus also stifly asserts the Utility of Humane Learning where he says That it is profitable to Christianity for the clear and distinct Demonstrations of its Doctrine 1 in that it helps us to the more evident understanding of the Truth And in particular for Logick he gives it high Encomiums as that it is a hedge to defend the Truth from being prod down by Sophisters that it gives us great light duly to understand the Holy Scriptures that it is necessary to confute the Sophisms of Hereticks And in general for all sorts of Learning he tells us that it keeps the way of Life that we be not deceived or circumvented by those that endeavour to draw us into the way of sin So that he thinks Philosophy and the Liberal Arts came down from Heaven unto Men. But should I produce all the Passages in this Father concerning the Utility and Excellency of Humane Learning I must transcribe several Pages in Folio which if the Reader has a Curiosity to view he may especially take notice of these Places Stromat lib. 1. Pag. 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 and Stromat lib. 6. Pag. 471 472 473 474 475 476 477. § 10. It is true there were some in those days of whom Clemens 〈◊〉 complains who dreaded Philosophy lest it should deceive them as much as Children did Hobgoblins Because they saw by too lamentable experience that many Learned Mens Brains were so charmed or intoxicated with Philosophical Notions as that they laboured to transform them into Christian Verities and so thereby became Authors of most pestilent and damnable Heresies which is particularly observed by Tertullian with respect to the Hereticks of his time who in this account calls the Philosophers the Patriarchs of Hereticks Therefore they accused Philosophy it self as the Production of some evil Inventor introduced into the World for the ruin and destruction of Mankind Even Tertullian himself for this reason had an extream Pique against Philosophy and violently decry'd it especially Logick as inconsistent with true Christianity as may be seen at large in his Book De Prescriptione adversus Haereticos p. 70 71 But to this Objection Clemens Alexandrinus replies that if any Man had been deceived and misled by Philosophy that that proceeded not from Philosophy but from the wickedness of his Nature for whosoever has Wisdom enough to use it he is able thereby to make a larger and a more demonstrative Defence of the Faith than others And concerning Logick in particular he tells them that as for Eristick jangling Logick for impertinent and contentious Sophisms which he elegently calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Shadows of Reason he disliked it as much as they and frequently inveighs against it But as for the 〈◊〉 substantial part of it he could not but deem it profitable and advantagious since it helps us to find out the Truth enables us the better to understand the Scriptures and shews us how to refel the Sophisms and cunning arguments of the Hereticks But besides this sort of Objectors there were others of whom Clemens Alexandrinus speaks who condemned Learning on this account because it was humane unto whom that Father answers that was most unreasonable that Philosophy only should be condemned on this account and that the meanest Arts besides even those of a Smith and Shipwright which are as much Humane should be commended and approved that they did not rest here and go no farther but having got what was useful and profitable from it they ascended higher unto the true Philosophy making this humane Philosophy a Guide unto or a Preparatory for the true Philosophy These were the Sentiments of this Learned Father touching the Utility and Excellency of Humane Learning with respect to the Interpretation of Scripture the finding out and defending of the true Faith and Doctrine and such like things which were the very Heart and Soul of the Presbyters Function and Employ from whence we may rationally collect that it was needful amiable and profitable in a Presbyter I do not say that it was absolutely necessary for it is apparent that a great part of the ancient Presbyters were not skill'd in it but I say that it was very useful and advantageous and they prized and esteemed those Presbyters who were vers'd in it especially those of them who were Arch-Presbyters or Bishops who if possible were to be well read in those parts of Learning which were proper to confirm the Articles of Christianity and to confute the Enemies thereof This is plainly insinuated by Origen when he says That the Holy Scriptures exhort us to learn Logick in that place where it is said by Solomon He that refuseth reproof or Logick as he understandeth it erreth and that therefore he that instructeth others the Greek Word more particularly denotes the Bishop ought to be able to convince Gain-sayers § 11. Upon this Examination of the Candidates for the Ministry and their Approbation by the Presbytery the next thing that follow'd was their being declared capable of their desired Function to which they were very seldom presently advanced but first gave a Specimen of their Abilities in their discharge of other inferiour Ecclesiastick Offices and so proceeded by degrees to the Supreme Function of all as Cornelius Bishop of Rome did not presently leap into his Office but passing thro' all the Ecclesiastical Employments gradually ascended thereunto And as Aurelius a Member of the Church of Carthage
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
decent place where say they if possible we will meet to celebrate with Joy and Gladness the Birth-day of his Martyrdom Hence that they might be certain of the very day of the Martyrs Sufferings there were some appointed to take an exact Account of them and faithfully to register them that so there might be no mistake Thus Cyprian writ from his Exile to the Clergy of his Church That they should take special care exactly to note down the very day of the Martyrdom of the Faithful that so they might be commemorated amongst the Memories of the Martyrs and to signifie to him the precise time of their departure to a glorious Immortality that so he might also celebrate it § 8. The Reasons for which they observed these Festivals we find in the forementioned Letter of the Church of Smirna wherein they write That they would meet to celebrate with Joy and Gladness the Martyrdom of Polycarp for the Commemoration of those who had already gloriously striven and for the Confirmation and Preparation of others by their Examples So that their Design was two-fold to animate and encourage others to follow the glorious Examples of those Heroick Martyrs who were commemorated before their Eyes and to declare the Honour and Veneration that they had for those invincible Champions of Jesus Christ who by their Martyrdoms were now freed from all their Miseries and Torments and Translated to a blessed and glorious Immortality in an happy manner experiencing the Truth of that Scripture in Ecclesiastes 7. 1. That the day of a Man's Death is better than the day of his Birth Whence the Time of the Martyrs Deaths was usually termed their Birth-Day because then was a Period of all their Grief and Trouble and a beginning of their everlasting Bliss and 〈◊〉 Thus in the forementioned Letter of the Church of Smirna concerning the Death of Polycarp they write That they would meet to celebrate with joy and gladness the Birth-day of his Martyrdom And so Tertullian says that 3 they annually commemorated the Birth-days of the Martyrs that is their Deathdays as he writes in another place concerning St. Paul That he was born at Rome when he suffered Martyrdom there § 9. As for the Place where these Anniversary Solemnities were performed it was at the Tombs of the Martyrs who were usually buried with the rest of the Faithful in a distinct place from the Heathens it being their Custom to interr the Christians by themselves seperate from the Pagans accounting it an hainous Crime if possibly it could be prevented to mingle their Sacred Ashes with the defiled ones of their Persecuting and Idolatrous Neighbours Wherefore in the Ratification of the Disposition of Martialis Bishop of Astorga by an African Synod held Anno 258 this was one of the Articles alledg'd against him That he had buried his Sons after the Pagan manner in Gentile Sepulchres amongst Men of another Faith And for this Reason it was that the surviving Christians would run upon ten thousand Hazards to collect the scattered Members of the Dead Martyrs and decently to inter them in the common Repository of the Faithful As when Emilian the barbarous Prefect of Egypt forbad any under Severe Penalties to entomb the Dead Bodies of the murdered Saints and seduously watched if any would durst to do it Yet 〈◊〉 a Deacon of Alexandria resolutely ventured upon it And it is applauded by the Historian as an Act of Religious Boldness and Freedom whereby Asturias a Roman Senator rendred himself renouned in that when he saw the Martyrdom of Marinus at Caesarea he took his martyred Body cloathed it with a precious Garment bore it away on his own Shoulders and magnificently and decently 〈◊〉 it And in a Letter from the Christians of Lyons and Vienna in France to the Churches of 〈◊〉 concerning their sore and grievous Persecutions we find them passionately complaining of the Inhumane Cruelty of their Persecutors that neither Prayers nor Tears neither Gold nor Silver could prevail with them to permit them to collect the dead Bodies of their murthered Brethren and decently to 〈◊〉 them As on the other hand the Faithful or the Church of Smirna rejoyced that they had gotten the most precious Bones of Polycarp which they buried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decebat where they ought as Valesius renders it that is as seems most probable at the common Burying Place of the Christians Now it was at these Tombs and Sepulchres that the Memories of the Martyrs were solemnized Thus in the forecited Letter of the Church of Smirna to the Church of Philomilium they write that in that place where they had interr'd the Bones of Polycarp they would by the Blessing of God assemble together and celebrate his Martyrdom which was a Practice so usual and constant as that the Heathens observed it So that as on the one hand under the Persecution of Valerian AEmilian the Prefect of Egypt threatned Dionysius Alexandrinus and his Fellow-Sufferers that for their Obstinacy and 〈◊〉 as he termed it he would send them into Lybia to a desert place called Cephro where they should not meet together or go to those places called Cemeteries That is the places where the Martyrs and the rest of the Faithful were buried so on the other hand when Galienus Valerian's Son restored Peace to the Churches he published an express Edict for returning to the Christians the Cemeteries that were taken from them § 10. If in the next place it shall be enquired how they observed these Festival Days I answer that they did not according to the fashion of the Heathens spend them in Riot and Debauchery in Bacchanalian Revellings and Luxury but in Religious Exercises and Employments in Prayers and Devotions He saith Origen truly keeps a Festival who does what he ought to do always praying and by his Prayers offering up unbloody Sacrifices unto God The Solemnites of these Feast Days were not Drunkenness and Gluttony but Acts of Piety and Charity Now they publickly assembled as the Church of Smirna writes in her Letter concerning the Death of Polycarp to commemorate the Martyrs Courage and Triumphs and to exhort and prepare others to the same glorious and renowned Actions Or as Tertullian expresses it now they offered Oblations as Cyprian They offered Oblations and Sacrifices that is they offered Thanks and Praise to God that had given Grace to those Martyrs to Seal his Truths with their Blood and in evidence of their Gratitude distributed of their Substance to the Poor and 〈◊〉 CHAP. X. § 1. Of the Rights and Ceremonies The difference between them § 2. Of Ceremonies Many used by the Ancients which through various ways crept into the Church § 3. Of Rites Every Church followed its own Rites without imposing them on any other § 4. The Members of every Church obliged to observe the Rites of that Church where they lived § 5. The Conclusion of
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.
began first with the lowermost Office of a Lector tho' by his extraordinary Merits he deserved those that were more sublime and honourable § 12. That this was their constant and unalterable Practice I dare not affirm I rather think the contrary as I might easily prove were it pertinent to my Design this that follows is more certain that whether they were gradually or presently Ordained Presbyters their Names were published or propounded to the People of that Church where they were to be Ordained that so if worthy of that Office they might have the Testimony and Attestation of the People or if unworthy and unfit they might be debarred and excluded from it by which course the Crimes of the Wicked were discovered the Vertues of the Good declared and the Ordination became Valid and Legitimate being examin'd by the Suffrage and Judgment of all § 13. If the People objected nothing against the Persons proposed but approved their fitness for that Office the next thing that followed was their Actual Ordination in that particular Church where they were so propounded not that they were only ordain'd for that particular Church but in it they were ordained Ministers of the Church Universal being at liberty either to serve that Church where they received their Orders or if they had a Legal Call to spend their Labours elsewhere in other Churches as Origen was a Presbyter of Alexandria tho' he was Ordained in Palestina by the Bishops of Caesarea and Jerusalem and Numidicus was a Presbyter of the Church of Carthage tho' he received his Orders elsewhere Hence the Presbyters of a Church were not confined to a set number as the Bishop and Deacons were but were sometimes more sometimes less as fit Persons for that Office presented themselves so were they Ordained some of whom still remained in the same Church where they received their Orders and others went and served other Churches every one going where the Providence of God did call him § 14. But now their formal Ordination was by Imposition of Hands usually of the Bishop and Presbyters of the Parish where they were Ordained For this there needs no other Proof than that Injunction of St. Paul to Timothy 〈◊〉 Tim. 4. 14. Neglect not the Gift that is in thee which was given thee by Prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery As for Imposition of hands it was a Ceremony that was variously used in the Old Testament from whence it was translated into the New and in the Primitive Church used on sundry occasions to no purpose here to enumerate One of those Actions was Ordination of Church-Officers wherein I think it was never omitted Thus Novatian was Ordained a Presbyter by Imposition of Hands And the Bishops of Cesarea and Jerusalem Imposed Hands on Origen to make him a Presbyter The Imposition of Hands being the Completion of Ordination or the Final Act thereof for whosoever had past through the forementioned Examination and Attestation and consequently to that had received the laying on of Hands he was esteemed by all as legally Ordained and was ever after deemed to have sufficient Power and Authority to exert and discharge the Duty and Office of the Presbytership to which by those Actions he was advanced and promoted § 15. Here now I shall conclude what I designed to write with respect to the first Particular concerning the Peculiar Acts of the Clergy under which I have discoursed distinctly of the Office and Order of Bishops Priests and Deacons as also of several other things relating to their Charge and Dignity As for those other Acts of theirs which remain to be inquired into I shall not meddle with them here for tho' they may have some Rapport or Connexion to this Head yet they more properly and immediately respect the third unto which place therefore I shall refer their Discussion and Examination CHAP. VI. § 1. The Peculiar Acts of the Laity proposed to be discoursed of What were the Qualifications of Church-Membership § 2. The People in some Cases had Power to depose their Bishops § 3. The Conjunct Acts of the Clergy and Laity proposed to be discoursed of All Ecclesiastical Affairs were managed by their joint Endeavours § 1. HAving in the former Chapters treated of the Peculiar Acts of the Clergy I come now in this to speak something to the Peculiar Acts of the Laity and to enquire into those Actions and Powers which they exerted distinctly by themselves And here it may not be amiss first of all to make an Enquiry into the Constitution of the Laity that is how and by what means they were first admitted to be Members of a Church by Vertue of which Membership they were made Partakers of all those Powers which we shall hereafter mention Now for Answer hereunto in general all those that were baptized were look'd upon as Members of the Church and had a right to all the Priviledges thereof except they had been guilty of grofs and scandalous Sins as Idolatry Murder Adultery and such like for then they were cast out of the Church and not admitted again till by a Penitent and holy Deportment they had testified their Grief and Sorrow for their unholy and irregular Actions for as Origen saith We do our utmost that our Assemblies be composed of good and wise Men. So that none who are admitted to our Congregations and Prayers are vitious and wicked except very rarely it may happen that a particular bad Man may be concealed in so great a number But since the greatest part of Christians were adult Persons at their Conversion to Christianity and admission into Church-Fellowship and Society therefore we must consider the Prerequisites of Baptism since that Sacrament gave them a Right and Title to that admission or reception Now those Persons who designed to leave Heathenism and Idolatry and desired to be Members of a Christian Church were not presently advanced to that degree but were first continued a certain space of Time in the rank of the Catechumens or the Catechised ones These were Candidates of Christianity who were to stay some time in that Order for these two Reasons The one was That they might be catechised and instructed in the Articles of the Christian Faith from whence they were called Catechumens And the other was that they might give demonstrations of the reality of their Intentions by the Change of their Lives and the Holiness of their Conversations Whilst they were in this Estate or rather in a Preparatory thereunto they were first privately instructed at home till they understood the more Intelligible Principles of Christianity and then they were admitted into the first Rank of Catechumens who are called by Tertullian Edocti or those that are taught These were permitted to come into the Church where they stood in a place by themselves and were present at the Sermons which were adapted to their Capacities being Discourses of
the Ordinary and less mysterious Truths of the Gospel If they behaved themselves well in this Rank then they were advanced to the Superior Rank of the Perfecti or Perfect as Tertullian calls them who stayed not only at the Lessons and Sermons but also at the Prayers which were the conclusion of the first Service and in a little time were baptized and tarried with the Faithful at the Celebration of the Eueharist or the Second Service This was the manner of 〈◊〉 amongst the Ancients none in those days were hastily advanced to the higher Forms of Christianity but according to their Knowledge and Merit gradually arrived thereunto being first instructed at home then admitted to the Didactick part of the Publick and then to the Supplicative part thereof It was the wicked Policy of the Hereticks Indifferently to pray and hear with all making no difference between the Faithful or the Catechumens But the True Church distinguished and permitted not the Catechumens to enjoy the Priviledges of the Faithful till they had in a Sense merited them which was when thro' a considerable time of Trial they had evidenced the sineerity of their Hearts by the Sanctity and Purity of their Lives and then as Origen saith we initiate them in our Mysteries when they have made a Proficiency in Holiness and according to the utmost of their power have reformed their Conversations When they had changed their Manners and rectified their Irregular Carriages then they were washed with the Water of Baptism and not before for as Tertullian saith We are not baptized that we may ceafe to sin but because we have already ceased As soon as they were baptized they commenced Members of the Church Universal and of that Particular Church wherein they were so baptized and became actual Sharers and Exerters of all the Priviledges and Powers of the Faithful § 2. Now what the distinct and separate Powers of the Faithful were must be next considered several of them to make the Discourse under the former Head complete we 〈◊〉 there as their Election and choice of their Bishops their Attestation to those that were Ordained and such like which will be unnecessary and tedious to repeat here and others of them cannot be well separated from their Conjunct Acts with the Clergy but must with them be discoursed of in the next Head so that there will be little or nothing to say here of their Discretive and Particular Acts save that as they had Power to elect their Bishops so if their Bishops proved afterwards scandalous and grosly wicked in Life or at least Heretical in Doctrine and Apostates from the Faith they had Power to depose them and to chuse others in their rooms This I must be forced also to mention in another place so that for the Proof of it I shall urge only the Case of Martialis and Basilides two Spanish Bishops who for Apostacy and Idolatry were deserted by their Parishes who Elected Felix and Sabinus Bishops in their steads After this Deposition Martialis and Basilides claim'd the Exercise of their Episcopal Authority but their Parishes denied it to them and that they might not seem to act by a Power which belonged not unto them they sent to several Bishops in Africa to know their Judgment thereupon who being convened in a Synod Anno 258 whereof Cyprian was President approved and commended their Proceedings assuring them That it was according to the Divine Law which was express that none but those that were holy and blameless should approach God's Altar That if they had continued to have communicated with their Profane Bishops they would have been Accessaries to their Guilt and Villany and would have contradicted those Examples and Commands in Scripture which oblige a People to separate from their wicked and ungodly Ministers That they had not acted irregularly in what they had done since as the People had the chief Power of choosing worthy Bishops so also of refusing those that were unworthy And many other such like Passages are to be found in that Synodical Epistle which 〈◊〉 assert the Peoples Power to depose a wicked and Scandalous Bishop But however tho' the People had such a Power appertaining to them yet being subject to be guided by Giddiness Envy or Pride where Churches were regularly associated and their Circumstances did permit it they did not by vertue of their power alone upon their own single Judgment depose their Bishop but that their Actions might be the more Authentick and Unquestionable they had their Complaints heard and the whole Affair examined by the Synod to which they belonged or by some other Bishops who if their Accusations were just and valid might concur with them in the Deposition of their Bishop and in the Election of a new one And from hence it is that we find the Power of Deposing Bishops ascribed to Synods as Paulus Samosatenus Bishop of Antioch was deprived by a Synod held in that place and Privatus Bishop of Lambese was deposed by a Synod of ninety Bishops The same Method being observed in the Deposition of a Bishop as in his Election As a Bishop was elected by the People over whom he was to preside and by the neighbouring Bishops so was he deposed by the same both which things seem to be intimated in that Passage of the forementioned Synodical 〈◊〉 wherein it is said That the People chiefly has Power either to chuse worthy Bishops or to refuse unworthy ones The word chiefly implying that besides the People some others were necessary to concur with them either in the Election or Deprivation of a Bishop and those were the neighbouring Bishops or to speak more properly that Synod to which they appertained of which Synods of their Power and Authority I shall discourse more largely elsewhere § 3. Having thus briefly dispatched the Second Head I now proceed to handle the Third which respects the Conjunct Acts of the 〈◊〉 and Laity In answer whereunto I find that in general all things relating to the Government and Policy of the Church were performed by their joint Consent and Administrations the People were to do nothing without the Bishop And on the contrary he did nothing without the knowledge and consent of his People When any Letters came from Foreign Churches they were received and read before the whole Church and the whole Church agreed 〈◊〉 common Letters to be sent to other Churches And so for all other matters relating to the Policy of the Church they were managed by the common advice and Counsel of the Clergy and Laity both concurred to the Discharge of those Actions to recite every particular Act whereof would be extremely tedious and fruitless Wherefore in speaking hereunto I shall confine my self to those of their Complex Acts that regarded the Discipline of the Church which being an Answer to the Second Part of our Enquiry viz. An Enquiry into the Discipline of the Primitive