The Ancient Christian Religion, Book 2 · Part 2 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. Of the places of Christian Assemblies; and of the Superstition and Vanity which hath prevailed in that respect, to the prejudice of the Truth.
SECT. I.
AS the time for the Publick Worship of Christian Men, ought to be fixed, and known: there is the like Reason, that some convenient places be publickly known also; otherwise the Christian Religion must needs be kept in obscurity. Howbeit there is a great difference between the Jewish and Christian Churches in this case. The Jews being tyed to one certain place, to wit the City and Temple of Jerusalem, for performance of a great part of their Publick Services, Deut. 16. 16. Three times in a year shall all thy Males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose: In the Feast of unlevened Bread; and in the feast of Weeks; and in the Feast of Tabernacles. Deut. 12. 13, 14. Take heed to thy self that thou offer not thy burnt Offering in every place that thou seest, but in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose, in one of thy Tribes, there shalt thou offer thy burnt-Offerings, and there shalt thou do all that I command thee. And unto this place the Tribes went up to worship the Lord, as unto a most Holy place.
But this Ceremonial sanctity or distinction of place, is wholly taken away by the coming of the Lord Jesus, all places being so far sanctified for the performance of all Gospel-Worship, as that his People may as acceptably serve him therein, as the Jews when appearing in the Temple at Jerusalem, Matt. 18. 20. For where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in the midst of them. 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will therefore that Men Pray every where, lifting up holy hands without wrath or doubting. Which gracious liberty was foreshown by the Prophet, Mal. 1. 11. For from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same, my Name shall be great among the Gentiles, and in every place Incense shall be offered to my Name, and a pure Offering: for my Name shall be great among the Heathen, saith the Lord of Hosts.
Hence it was no doubt, that the Christians for some Ages after Christ, did not build any Oratories, nor consecrate any Places for their publick Devotions; Celsus.at which that Enemie of Christ Celsus, took occasion to bespatter the Christians in the time of Origen. For though it may be very expedient to have publick Oratories, when the number of Disciples do require it; yet it's every way as lawful to hold such holy Assemblies in our proper Mansions or dwelling-Houses: after the example of the Apostles, who taught both publickly and from house to house, Act. 20. 20. And daily in the Temple, (so long as they could be permitted) and in every House they ceased not to Teach and Preach Jesus Christ. As also in the Fields, Mountains, and by the Seaside, as well as in the Synagogues, or places where Prayer was wont to be made, Act. 16. 13. Matth. 5. 1. &c. Yea, we read of a Church in the house of a certain Christian, Rom. 16. 5. (to wit, the Assembly which used to meet at his House.) Diodat.For saith Diodat, there were divers small Assemblies of Believers in one and the self same City. 1 Cor. 16. 19. Colos. 4. 15. So that it is not only lawful for Christians to meet in such small companies, and in their dwelling-houses, but such Assemblies are expresly allowed the Title of a Church, by the holy Apostle: which may serve to take off that great contempt which is sometimes cast upon the Baptized Churches, for such their innocent meeting or Church-Assemblies.
SECT. II. Of the Superstition of many professing Christianity about the Places of their Devotion.
Here the Papists do justly lead the Van; and indeed, who else so fit to lead Men to Superstition, (not to say Idolatry:) Do not the Prodigious consecration and hallowing their Temples with holy Water, Crossings, and multitude of Ceremonies, proclaim to all the World their Vanity? as if by such devised Ceremonies God is worshiped, well-pleased, and the Devils affrighted and terrified, as not daring to come within the Circles made by those Artists, nor to endure the sound of those Bells which they have Sanctified. Or as if the Crosses, whether real or otherwise, made by their Hands, could confer some extraordinary Sanctity, and make such places the receptacles of him that inhabiteth Eternity. And that he might not be at any time without Attendants, how prodigiously do they Erect Images of Christ, his holy Mother, of Saints and Angels, adoring the work of their Hands? yea, the very places they have thus abused, as if some Sacred quality (at the least) had now by these their devises possessed the whole Fabrick; Dr. Bale, End to Contro.as if it were all one to mingle Abbey dust with common Earth, as to shed the Blood of a Prince and a Peasant together, or rather the first to hold the greater disproportion.
No Image is a proper Instrument to propitiate or worship God by. See Dr. Ham. on the Text.Now had the Lord Christ required any such things as these, God forbid we should move a Pen against them; but sith he hath not done it, what a vanity is it to think, that the Godhead is like to Silver or Gold? or that he is worshipped with Mens Hands? Act. 17. 25. Neither dwelleth he now in Temples made with hands, as sometimes he was pleased to presence himself in the Temple at Jerusalem, vers. 24. compared with John 4. 21.
Bernard.When Bernard saw the vanity of Men in this kind of Superstition, or having those pretendedly Sanctified Fabricks in such Veneration, he cryed out, Ye look too much upon the Walls; affirming, That the Mountains, Caves, and Prisons were more sure places to him: meaning (I suppose,) he could sooner find the Church of Christ there, than in those Magnificent Temples.
Nor do I know how to justifie mens calling those places by the name of Churches, from some tincture at least of Superstition; because there is nothing more Sacred upon Earth than the Church of the living God: However, it is certain, the evil which hath attended this custome is very great. I have met with more than one, and some very aged, that did not only know any other Churches than these, but were in no wise to be prevailed with to believe there were any other. This I speak not as if I had a quarrel with these publick places of Worship, or with the zeal of our Ancestors who built them: For as they are an ornament to the Nation, so are they very convenient for the exercise of Religion.
SECT. III. That the places of Christian Assemblies ought to be Publick, &c.
Our blessed Saviour and his Apostles did frequently convene their Auditors in very publick and open Places, coming to the Light that their deeds might be made manifest that they were wrought in God. Yea, it is the property of Heavenly Wisdom to put forth her Voice in the top of the high Places, by the Way, in the places of the Paths; She cryeth at the Gates, at the entry of the City, at the coming in of the doors. Prov. 8. 1, 2.
God commanded Peter (by his Angel) Act. 5. 20. To go stand and speak in the Temple unto the People all the words of this Life. Nor know I any reason why the Publick places of Devotion in our Nation, should not be free for Christians of differing Apprehensions, they not interrupting one another: And why this might not be the most likely way to beget Unity, and in time much unity in the Truth, I do not understand.
But being denied this just right, It is the duty of Christians to endeavour to hold forth their Light, in the most publick manner they may, because Christ hath ordained his Church to be the Light of the World, a City on an Hill, not to be hid; at least, not to hide her self. A Candle on a Candle-stick to give Light to all that sit in darkness. Christians are expresly required not to forsake the assembling of themselves together, but to hold fast the profession of their Faith without wavering, Heb. 10. 25. And not to be ashamed of Christ or his words, before an adulterous and sinful Generation, Mark 8. 38. An excellent Example we have, with the Lord's commendation upon it, Rev. 2. 13. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is; and thou holdest fast my Name, i. e. The profession of my Name, and hast not denied my Faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful Martyr, who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth. Wherefore, though the Baptized Christians be denied the liberty of those convenient publick Oratories (which yet they are liable to repair and uphold in common with others; and consequently in reason should not be denied the use of them, at least when it might be without the disturbance of others;) yet let them remember, that our Saviour foretold it should be so, John 16. 2. And let them not doubt but God will accept their sincere Services in what place soever, seeing (as Tindal well observes) Tindal Fox Martyrol. Fol. 1254.Christ taking away the differences of places, will be worshipped in every place. Neither is there in his Kingdom one place holy, and another prophane, but all places are indifferant. Neither canst thou more heartily or better believe, or love God in the Temple — than in the Barn or Kitchin. And saith Origen, Origen. Hom. 5 in Levit.Locum sanctum in Terris non requiro positum, sed in Corde. I do not seek a holy place in Earth, but in the Heart.