Dissertation Concerning the Antiquity of Churches, Section 1 – Section 2
SECTION I.
HAVING Diſcourſed in a former Diſſertation, Of the Antiquity of Temples in the times of the Old Teſtament: I proceed in this, with the Conſideration, Of the Antiquity of Churches in Goſpel times under the New. Wherein the common Opinion of Proteſtants is maintained, not only againſt Bellarmine and Baronius, but ſome Proteſtants alſo, as Fuller in his Miſcellanea Sac. l. 2. c. 9. who undertakes to prove that Chriſtians had their Churches or Temples built, even in the days of the Apoſtles: And more eſpecially Mede, who hath largely handled this Subject in's Treatiſe Of Appropriate Places for Chriſtian Worſhip, both in, and ever ſince the Apoſtles time. Both theſe ſtate and maintain the Queſtion as they do, and light their Candles at their Torches. In this Controverſie our Adverſaries take the Word foreign(which we render, when taken for a Religious Aſſembly, by the word Church; from foreign, whence the Saxon Cyric, and the German Kyrk, and we by adding a double Aſpiration Chyrch, or Church) as it was in after Ages (not in the beginning) taken for a Publick Place for Worſhip. Concerning which, here let me premiſe, That although we have no particular command for building of Churches, as of Old for the Tabernacle (which was a moveable Temple) or the Temples, which were ſtanding Tabernacles, (their Names being frequently interchanged;) nor do they recommend our Services to God, as thoſe that were Typical of our Saviour did: Yet are Edifices very convenient for the Worſhippers, and are ſo far neceſſary for the advancing Gods Service, as appears by the Light of Nature, and the uſe of Synagogues amongſt the Jews: That by ſuch Structures we are better defended againſt the injuries of Wind and Weather; as alſo, the Voice of the Miniſter is in them more Audible than in the open Air, and that thereby we have greater conveniency of excluding ſuch, as ought not to Communicate with us: Beſides that after the ſpreading of the Goſpel, they were more neceſſary for the containing a greater number of Chriſtians, than could meet together in private Houſes, or Places: which occaſioned afterwards, as liberty was granted, or encouragement given by Chriſtian Magiſtrates, the building of Oratories and Churches. So that tho we grant the Primitive Chriſtians had always Places for Publick Worſhip; yet we deny they built any Edifices publickly for the exerciſe of their Religion, or had any ſuch appropriate places, as our Opponents call Temples or Churches; but worſhipp'd God in ſuch numbers, as could conveniently meet together, only in private Houſes, or ſuch places as were obſcure, for above 200 Years after our Bleſſed Saviour's Aſcenſion. Altho in the Third Century, they had ſome Oratories or Conventicles, here and there, even in the Roman Empire, as well as in Perſia, and other Nations, where the Goſpel was ſpread. For Arnobius, who flouriſhed about 285, mentions, l. 4. the Chriſtian Conventicles. And Lactantius his Schollar (Juſtit. l. 5. c. 2.) a Temple deſtroyed in Bithynia. Who being Schoolmaſter to Criſpus, the Son of Conſtantine, it's probable, the publick Places, granted the Chriſtians by Galienus, were then enlarged, which were before called Conventicles; as he ſaith, One in Phrygia ſet a Conventicle on Fire, and burnt all aſſembled therein, cap. 11.
SECT. 2.
The Reaſons for this our Aſſertion are, (1.) The great Perſecutions the Chriſtians lived under for the moſt part, all that time. Which is ſo apparent from all Hiſtories, Sacred and Civil, that I wonder Fuller ſhould ſay, That Perſecutions in the beginning were more rare, and for the moſt part private. Both which are notoriouſly falſe, as appears from the Acts. For no ſooner had the Apoſtles begun to preach the Goſpel, c. 2. & 3. but they were by the Rulers impriſoned, beaten and charged to deſiſt, c. 4 & 5. Stephen taken and ſtoned, c. 6 & 7. And thereupon the Church of Jeruſalem by a great Perſecution, ſcattered, c. 8. & 11. v. 19. After we have Herods perſecuting the Chriſtians, killing James, and impriſoning Peter, with intention to put him to Death, c. 12. The Rulers perſecute Paul and Barnabas at Antioch, c. 13. and at Iconium; and at Lyſtra Paul is ſtoned, c. 14. He and Silas whip'd and impriſon'd by the Roman Magiſtrates, c. 16. Perſecuted at Theſſalonica, c. 17. A Tumult againſt Paul, &c. c. 19. He ſaith, bonds and afflictions wait for him in every City, and that grievous Wolves ſhould enter among them, not ſparing the Flock, c. 20. And what Perſecutions he ſuffered at Jeruſalem, not only from the Rabble, but the Chief, both of the Jews and Romans, may be ſeen in the following Chapters. Moſt of his Epiſtles were written in Bonds. And its generally ſaid, that he ſuffered at Rome under Nero, as Peter, many ſay, did alſo. And St. John's Baniſhment into the Iſle of Patmos, is certain (as 'tis ſaid) by the Emperour Domitian. And Hoſpinian hath obſerved, that from the Apoſtles time, till Biſhop Sylveſter and the Emperour Conſtantine's, for above 300 Years, not one of all thoſe 30 Biſhops of Rome, but ſuffer'd Martyrdom. But Fuller adds, that the ſame publick calamities were uſually common to the Jews with the Chriſtians; and therefore if they kept their Synagogues, why might not theſe their Churches. Mede alſo urgeth this of the Jewiſh Synagogues, becauſe the Jews Religion was no more the Empires than the Chriſtians. Both which we deny, for the Jews were the Perſecutors, and the Chriſtians the Perſecuted: they uſually ſtirring up and incenſing the Gentiles againſt theſe, as the Acts of the Apoſtles teſtifie, and St. Paul, 1 Theſ. 2.14, 15, 16. Nor had the Chriſtians then any Churches, as the Jews had Synagogues, tho they had in ſome Cities ſeparate Meetings. Of the Jewiſh Synagogues we read in Scripture, but neither Scripture nor Hiſtory mentions any publick Churches for 200 Years. And afterwards, when they had ſome Oratories, we read of courſes taken for demoliſhing them: but not (much leſs at the ſame time) of the Jewiſh Synagogues. Theſe having been long before, publickly tollerated in many Places to the Jews where they reſided. And they having now renounced Chriſt, the Devil and Heathen Emperours had no cauſe to diſquiet them, but made uſe of them in oppoſing Chriſtianity. As Julian we know, employ'd them for building again their Temple at Jeruſalem, to deſpite the Chriſtians. And no Religion is more hated of a Natural Man than the True; all others being prefer'd before this.
Mr. Mede in anſwering the Objections againſt his Opinion, endeavours to enervate this of Perſecution two ways. (1.) By aſſerting, that the greateſt Perſecutions (as the five laſt of the Ten) fell out in the Third Century, wherein 'tis granted the Chriſtians had ſome Oratories, and therefore why not in the two former, ſeeing their Perſecutions were not continual, nor of long duration. But tho we grant, in regard of the abundance of Bloud-ſhed, the laſt were the cruelleſt; yet was there always ſuch as hindred, both the erecting and appropriating Churches, and publickly aſſembling (the Laws and Emperors being their Enemies) contenting themſelves to meet as they could with the moſt ſafety in ſecret. And tho their Perſecution was not conſtant, yet were they conſtantly liable thereunto, as the Apoſtle tells us, Rom. 8.36. For thy ſake we are killed all the day long, we are accounted as Sheep for the Slaughter. Hiſtories alſo ſhew us, their Sufferings were more continual, and leſs interrupted, in the two firſt, than third Century. Wherein after a ſore Storm under Valerian, they enjoy'd a comfortable calm, under his Son Galienus, who reſtored to them their Cemeteries, and all other places of Worſhip; which was ſuch a favour or Tolleration, as we read not of in the two firſt Ages. (2.) Mr. Mede argues from the credibility of the Chriſtians having Oratories in the Roman Empire, as well as in the Perſian. Which we deny, for 'tis the Roman Empire only, that is repreſented under the Shape of a Red Dragon with 7 Heads and 10 Horns, making War with the Saints of God. Nor are we now dealing with a matter of Opinion, or Credibility, but matter of Fact and Hiſtory; which aſcertains the Perſecution under the Roman Emperors for 300 years, but mentions little or none at all, under the Perſian Monarchs, during that time, tho afterwards, as Sozomen l. 2. c. 8. relates by Saporez, which was long before Iſdigerdis, who was Contemporary with Theodoſius.
Nor doth the Churches of Perſia prejudice our Opinion; ſeeing they were but (by Mr. Mede's acknowledgment) in Conſtantine's time. Before which, there were ſome Churches in the Roman Empire. For Diocleſian his Predeceſſor made an Edict for the demoliſhing them.
Having thus vindicated our Argument from ſeveral Attacks: We may further enforce it, both by the experience of former Ages, and alſo our own. The Iſraelites in Egypt, tho they dwelt together, a long time at leaſt, yet we read not of any Temples they built there. And when they were in Captivity in Babylon, tho we read of their building Houſes, Jer. 29. yet nothing of Synagogues. Paſs on from the Heatheniſh to the Popiſh Perſecutions, former and latter: Where at this day, in Italy, France, Spain and Portugal, are any Churches built, or Publick Meeting-Places for Proteſtants? Nay even the Lutherans will not allow the publick exerciſe of the Reformed Religion. The Story of the German Church under Johannes a Laſco, who fled from London, to avoid the Perſecution under Queen Mary, to the Lutherans, and how barbarouſly treated, is well known, and lamentable to conſider. And the ſame ſpirit continues, ſo that the Dutch Church at Hamburg go to Altena, and the Engliſh are confin'd to their own Houſe. Sweden is expelling them, and ſeveral Princes perſecuting them. Nor need we go ſo far, the experience of theſe Three Kingdoms is ſufficient. Where altho the Perſecution of the Nonconformiſts, was not from the Heathens, (as the Primitive Chriſtians:) Nor from Papiſts (as the Waldenſes of old, and all Diſſenters from them generally ever ſince:) Or any Proteſtants of a different Denomination; nor to death; but only Fines or Impriſonments. &c. Yet who went about to build any publick Places for Worſhip, or had ſuch, till a Tolleration was granted them? Who can imagine any ſo mad, as to build or buy publick Places, where their Enemies are Rulers; and having all Civil Power in their hands, would not only ſhut them up, or demoliſh them, but alſo ſeverely puniſh ſuch preſumption.