Epistle to the Philadelphians 37, he says 'there was one altar to every church, and one bishop, with his presbytery and deacons.' The present Greek copies, indeed, read it a little different from Mr. Mede, leaving out the word church, but the mentioning one altar is sufficient to intimate they had then a stated place for their ecclesiastical assembly. In the same age, Pius, bishop of Rome, wrote two short Epistles to Justus, bishop of Vienna, in France, in the first of which 38 one Euprepia, a pious matron, is said to have consigned the title of her house over to the church to celebrate divine offices in;' and in the other39, one Pastor, a presbyter, is commended 'for erecting a titulus, that is, a church, before his death.' Clemens Alexandrinus, toward the end of this century, uses the name ecclesia, for the place of the assembly as well as the congregation. For, speaking of the church, he says 40, I call not now the place, but the congregation of the elect, the church.' And so in his famous homily, Quis dives salvetur? he brings in the Asian bishop, to whom St. John committed the young man to be trained up in the Christian discipline, complaining 41, 'that the youth was become a villain and a robber, and now instead of the church had betaken himself to the mountains, with a company like himself.' By this it is plain, that in his time the word ecclesia was taken for a place of sacred assembly, as well as for the assembly itself. the third century. 15. In the third century the testimonies are both more numer- Proofs in ous and plain. Tertullian clearly intimates they had churches, when complaining against Christians, who followed the trade of idol-making for the Gentiles, only excusing themselves that they did not worship them, he says 42, The zeal of faith cannot but 37 Ep. ad Philadelph. n. 4. (Cotel. ibid. p. 79. Εν θυσιαστήριον [πάσῃ τῇ ἐκκλησία] καὶ εἷς ἐπίσκοπος ἅμα τῷ πρεσβυτερίῳ καὶ τοῖς διακόνοις, K. T. λ. 38 Ep. 1. [al. 3.] ad Just. (CC. t. 1. p. 576 a.) Soror nostra Euprepia titulum domus suæ pauperibus assignavit; ubi nunc, cum pauperibus nostris commorantes, missas agimus. 39 Ep. 2. [al. 4.] (ibid. p. 577 b.) Presbyter Pastor titulum condidit, et digne in domino obiit. declaim all the day long upon this point, bewailing that any Christian should come from among his idols into the church; that he should come into the house of God from the shop of his enemy, and lift up those hands to God the Father which were the mothers or makers of idols.' In another place 43, he calls the church domus columbæ, the house of the dove, meaning either Christ or his dove-like religion, as I have explained it before 44. And again he expressly distinguishes between the baptistery and the church, which in those days were places separate one from another, saying +5 When we are come to the water to be baptized, we not only there, but also somewhat before in the church, under the hand of the minister, make a public declaration that we renounce the Devil, and his pomp, and his angels.' Tertullian is followed by Hippolytus 46, who, describing the signs of the coming of Antichrist, says, the temples of God shall be as common houses, the churches shall everywhere be destroyed.' But I lay no stress upon this passage, because the work is spurious, and of later date than it pretends to be, as Bishop Usher has proved, and Combefis confesses as much, who published the genuine piece of Hippolytus De Christo et Antichristo 47, where no such passage is to be found. But we have an authentic testimony in the same age from an heathen author. For Lampridius, in the Life of Alexander Severus 48, reports of him, that there happening a dispute between the Christians and the victuallers about a certain public place, each party challenging it as their own, the Emperor's rescript determined it thus in favour of the Christ 6 43 Adv. Valentin. c. 3. See before, oneraverat, sequioris Græciæ monu8. 2. p. 4. n. 17. 44 See before, t. 2. pp. 4, 5. Aquam adituri, ibidem, sed et aliquanto prius in ecclesia, sub antistitis manu, contestamur nos renunciare diabolo, et pompæ, et angelis ejus, &c. 46 De Consummat. Mund. (Bibl. Patr. Gr.-Lat. t. 2. p. 346. 3.) Oi ναοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὡς οἶκοι ἔσονται, καὶ καταστροφαὶ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν πανταχοῦ γενήσονται. 47 Vid. Combefis. Auctar. Noviss. (p. 57.) Quod Hippolyti nomine opus de Antichristo hactenus pluteos mentum est, ac plane stramineum, nihil ævi illius sinceritatem redolens, aut venam magni cum simplicitate theologi satisque in Scripturis versati cujus parens ea ipsa persuasio fuerit, quod scripsisse Hippolytum de Antichristo apud antiquos pervulgatum sit. 48 C. 49. (int. August. Hist. Scriptor. p. 575.) Cum Christiani quendam locum, qui publicus fuerat, occupassent, contra popinarii dicerent, sibi eum deberi; rescripsit [Imperator,] Melius esse ut quomodocunque illic Deus colatur, quam popinariis dedatur. ians, that it was better that God should be worshipped there after any manner, than that it should be given up to the victuallers.' About the middle of this age lived the famous Gregory of Neocæsarea, surnamed Thaumaturgus, who himself built several churches in Neocæsarea and the adjacent parts of Pontus, as Gregory Nyssen 49 reports in his Life; and also wrote a Canonical Epistle, wherein are described the several classes or stations 50 of penitents in the respective parts of the church. But because some learned men question, whether that part of his Epistle be not rather a comment and addition by some other hand, I lay no greater weight upon it than it will bear, but only observe, that the same classes of penitents may be collected from other canons in that Epistle, which are allowed to be genuine. About the same time, St. Cyprian 51 speaks of the place of their assembly under the name of Dominicum, the Lord's-house, as has been noted before; and in another place opposes the Church and the Capitol, the altar of the Lord, and the altars of images and idol-gods, to one another. For speaking against some that had lapsed, and without due penance were for intruding themselves into the Church again, If this were once permitted,' says he 52, what then remains but that the Church should give way to the Capitol, and the priests withdraw, and take away the altar of the Lord with them, and let the images and idol-gods with their altars sue 49 Vit. Greg. Thaumaturg. (t. 3. p. 567 c.) Πάντων δὲ κατὰ τόπον πάντα εὐκτηρίους ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ κατὰ σπουδὴν ναοὺς ἀνεγειρόντων, θυμὸς καὶ φθόνος εἰσέρχεται τῷ τηνικαῦτα τῆς ἀρχῆς τῶν ̔Ρωμαίων ἐπιστατοῦντι . . . . καὶ νομίσας δυνατὸν εἶναι τῇ θείᾳ δυνάμει τὴν ἰδίαν ἀντιστῆς σαι πικρίαν, καὶ ἐπισχεῖν μὲν τοῦ μυστηρίου τὸ κήρυγμα, καταλῦσαι δὲ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν τὰ συστήματα, μεταστῆσαι δὲ πάλιν ἐπὶ τὰ εἴδωλα τοὺς προκεχωρηκότας τῷ λόγῳ, κ. τ. λ. κότα, ἕως τῶν κατηχουμένων, καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἐξέρχεσθαι· ἀκούων γὰρ, φησὶ, τῶν γραφῶν, καὶ τῆς διδασκαλίας, ἐκβαλλέσθω καὶ μὴ ἀξιούσθω προσευχῆς· ἡ δὲ ὑπόπτωσις, ἵνα ἔσωθεν τῆς πύλης τοῦ ναοῦ ἱστάμενος, μετὰ τῶν κατηχουμένων ἐξέρχηται· ἡ σύστασις, ἵνα συνίσταται τοῖς πιστοῖς καὶ μὴ ἐξέρχηται μετὰ τῶν κατηχουμένων τελευταῖον, ἡ μέθεξις τῶν ἁγιασμά των. 51 De Oper. et Eleemos. See before, s. 2. p. 3. n. 6. 50 Greg. Thaumaturg. Ep. Canon. 52 Ep. 55. [al. 59.] ad Cornel. (p. c. 11. p. 41. (CC. t. 1. p. 842 c.) 'H_268.) Quid superest, quam ut Ecπρόσκλαυσις ἔξω τῆς πύλης τοῦ εὐκτηρίου ἐστὶν, ἔνθα ἑστῶτα τὸν ἁμαρτάνοντα χρὴ τῶν εἰσιόντων δεῖσθαι πιστῶν, ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ εὔχεσθαι· ἡ ἀκρόασις ἔνδοθι τῆς πύλης ἐν τῷ νάρ θηκι· ἔνθα ἑστάναι χρὴ τὸν ἡμαρτη clesia Capitolio cedat, et recedentibus sacerdotibus, ac Domini altare removentibus, in cleri nostri sacrum venerandumque consessum simulaera atque idola cum aris suis transeant? The Objection from Lactantius ceed and take possession of the sanctuary, where the venerable bench of our clergy sit?" About this time also Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, speaks of churches as appropriate to the service of God, resolving this question 53, Whether a woman in the time of her separation might enter into the house of God? It appears further from the Rescript of Gallienus, the emperor, recorded by Eusebius 54, where he restores the Christians their churches, under the name of τόποι θρησκεύσιμοι, worshipping places and from what has been noted before out of the Letter of Aurelian55, which chides the senate for demurring about opening the Sibylline Books, as if they had been consulting, not in the Capitol, but in a Christian church; as also that other Rescript of his in Eusebius 56, which, at the request of the Council of Antioch, ordered Paulus Samosatensis to be turned out of the house of the church. But the testimony of Eusebius goes far beyond all others; for speaking of the peaceable times, which the Christians enjoyed from the persecution of Valerian to that of Diocletian, he observes 57, that the number of Christians so grew and multiplied, in that fifty years, that their ancient churches were not large enough to receive them, and therefore they erected from the foundations more ample and spacious ones in every city.' 16. The only objection against all this, made with any colour, is drawn from some of the ancient apologists, Origen 58, Minucius Felix 59, Arnobius 60, and Lactantius 61, who seem to 53 Ep. Canon. c. 2. (ap. Bevereg. t. 2. part. I. p. 4 e.) Περὶ τῶν ἐν ἀφέδρῳ γυναικῶν, εἰ προσῆκεν αὐτὰς οὕτ τω διακειμένας εἰς τὸν οἶκον εἰσιέναι τοῦ Θεοῦ, περιττὸν καὶ τὸ πυνθάνε σθαι νομίζω. 54 L. 7. c. 13. (v. I. Ρ. 340. 7.) Την 55 See s. I. p. 2. n. 4. 5. n. 20. 57 L. 8. c. I. (v. I. p. 376. 14.) Πῶς δ ̓ ἂν τις διαγράψειε τὰς μυριάνδρους ἐκείνας ἐπισυναγωγάς· καὶ τὰ πλήθη τῶν κατὰ πᾶσαν πόλιν ἀθροισμάτων· τάς τε ἐπισήμους ἐν τοῖς προσευκτηρίοις συνδρομάς; ὧν δὴ νεκα μηδαμῶς ἔτι τοῖς παλαιοῖς οἰκοδομήμασιν ἀρκούμενοι, εὐρείας εἰς πλάτος ἀνὰ πάσας τὰς πόλεις ἐκ θεμελίων ἀνίστων ἐκκλησίας. 58 Cont. Cels. 1. 8. p. 389. (t. I. p. 756 e.) Εἰ δὲ καὶ ναοὺς ναοῖς δεῖ παραβαλεῖν, ἵνα παραστήσωμεν τοῖς ἀποδεχομένοις τὰ Κέλσου, ὅτι νεὼς μὲν ἱδρύεσθαι τοὺς πρέποντας τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἀγάλμασι καὶ βωμοῖς οὐ φεύγομεν· ἐκτρεπόμεθα δὲ τῷ πάσης ζωῆς χορηγῷ ἀψύχους καὶ νεκροὺς οἰκοδομεῖν νεώς· ἀκουέτω ὁ βουλόμενος, τίνα τρόπον διδασκόμεθα, Οτι τὰ σώματα ἡμῶν ναὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστί· καὶ εἴ τις διὰ τῆς ἀκολασίας ἢ τῆς ἁμαρτ τίας φθείρει τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, οὗτος ὡς ἀληθῶς ἀσεβὴς εἰς τὸν ἀληθῆ ναὸν φθαρήσεται. 59 Octav. [c. 10.] p. 29. (p. 61.) 62 bius an say that the Christians in their time had no temples, nor altars, and Arnonor ought to have any. But as Mr. Mede shews at large, this swered. is only spoken against such temples as the heathens pleaded for, in the notion of encloistering the Deity by an idol. For otherwise the very authors from whom the objection is drawn must strangely contradict themselves. For Arnobius owns they had their conventicula, houses of assembly, which he complains were barbarously destroyed in the last persecution. And Lactantius 63 says the same, giving them also the name of the temples of God, which Diocletian ordered to be demolished, when he taught oratory in Bithynia. And Origen himself 64 speaks of adorning the Christian churches, and altars, in one of his Homilies upon Joshua, translated literally by Ruffin. ditional 17. Thus far Mr. Mede goes in his collections and answer to Some adthis objection; to which I shall add a few things which he has collections not observed. Lactantius in another place of his Institutions 65 upon this speaks of one of the Christian conventicula in a town in Phrygia, which the Heathen burnt, with the whole assembly .... Cur nullas aras habent, templa nulla, nulla nota simulacra? 60 Cont. Gent. 1. 6. (p. 190.) Quod cum ita se habeat, qui possumus judicari deos habere contemptui? quos nisi sunt recti et magnarum mentium admiratione laudabiles, deos negamus existere, nec potestatibus posse cœlitibus applicari? Sed templa illis exstruimus nulla, nec eorum effigies adoramus, non mactamus hostias, non tura ac vina libamus. Et quid amplius possumus vel honoris eis tribuere vel dignitatis, quam quod eos in ea ponamus parte, qua rerum caput, ac Dominum, summumque ipsum regem, cui debent divina [al. dii una] nobiscum, quod esse se sentiunt, et vitali in substantia contineri? Numquid enim delubris aut templorum eum constructionibus honoramus? 61 Instit. 1. 2. c. 2. (t. i. p. 116.) Cur ad parietes, et ligna, et lapides potissimum, quam illo spectatis, ubi eos esse creditis? Quid sibi templa? Quid aræ volunt? 62 Cont. Gent. 1. 4. p. 152. See before, s. 7. p. 12. n. 61. 63 Instit. 1. 5. c. 2. s. 6. p. 9. n. 42. BINGHAM, VOL. III. See before, 64 Hom. 10. in Josh. (t. 2. p. 423 b.) Sunt quidam in ecclesia credentes quidem et habentes fidem in Deum, et acquiescentes in omnibus divinis præceptis; quique etiam erga servos Dei religiosi sunt, et servire eis cupiunt, sed et ad ornatum ecclesiæ vel ministerium satis prompti paratique sunt; in actibus vero suis et conversatione propria obscœnitatibus et vitiis involuti, nec omnino deponentes veterem hominem cum actibus suis, sed involuti vetustis vitiis et obscœnitatibus suis, sicut et isti pannis et calceamentis veteribus obtecti, præter hoc, quod in Deum credunt, et erga servos Dei vel ecclesiæ cultum videntur esse devoti, nihil adhibent emendationis vel innovationis in moribus. [al. mores.]-Ibid. (d.) Sciendum est... quod si qui tales sunt in nobis, quorum fides hoc tantummodo habet, ut ad ecclesiam veniant, et inclinent caput suum sacerdotibus, officia exhibeant, servos Dei honorent, ad ornatum quoque altaris vel ecclesiæ aliquid conferant, &c. 65 Instit. 1. 5. c. II. See before, s. 7. p. 12. n. 60. Ꭰ head. |