Dissertation Concerning the Antiquity of Churches, Section 11
SECT. 11.
We come now to alledge ſeveral Teſtimonies to make good our Poſition; which we ſhall take from ſuch Authentick Authors, as are beyond all Exceptions; and not ſuch ſpurious ones, as ſeveral that have been brought againſt us.
And for the more diſtinct proceeding herein; we ſhall reduce them to theſe three General Heads.
1. Such as ſpeak of the Perſecution of the Primitive Churches; whereby any one may judge, whether they were in a Condition ſuitable to the injoyment of certain appropriate Places, call them Oratories, Churches, or as ſome of our Opponents falſly Temples (for that Name came not in for them, till the fourth Century) if you pleaſe; much leſs to build ſuch publickly in the firſt Ages, for their conſtant worſhipping in.
2. Such as declare, that for two hundred Years at leaſt they had no ſuch, as our Adverſaries avouch.
3. What kind of Places they then aſſembled in: Which were the moſt Private they could find or contrive for their Security.
As to the firſt of theſe, concerning the Perſecution of the Primitive Church, mentioned in the Acts of the Apoſtles; we have ſpoken ſomething already in the ſecond Section; and ſhall therefore proceed to that part of Nero's Reign, that immediately Succeeds. For St. Paul's coming to Rome, about the fifth of that Emperour, and Impriſonment there for the ſpace of two Years, concludes the Acts. There he found a flouriſhing Church, as appears by c. 1. v. 8. of that admirable Epiſtle he had Written to them, between two and three Years before. Whether Founded by thoſe Strangers of Rome that were at Jeruſalem in the Day of Pentecoſt, Acts 2.10. Or by thoſe mentioned in the 16. Chapter of his Epiſtle, or joyntly by them all, I determine not: But that it was not by Peter, who had not as yet been there, is apparent by the Series of Hiſtory. During his Impriſonment, he wrote ſeveral of his excellent Epiſtles, as that to the Galatians (a People inhabiting Tanium peſſinunt, and Anoyra in Aſia) the Epheſians, Philippians, Coloſſians, Philemon, and as moſt think, even thoſe that were laſt, as that to the Hebrews, and thoſe to Timothy. Tho' Dr. Cave and others Judge, the firſt to Timothy was written in's return to Rome, and the ſecond in the Year following. For both, ſome Places of Scripture, and many Ancient Fathers teſtifie, that being releaſed after two Years by Nero, he went and Preached the Goſpel, in the Eaſt, Italy, France, and Spain for about four Years, and being apprehended and brought again to Rome, was there Beheaded. For Nero now inraged at the increaſe of the number of Chriſtians, and the decreaſe of the Worſhippers of the Idol Gods, made that bloody Decree, Quiſquis Chriſtianum ſe confitetur, tanquam generis humani convictus hoſtis, ſine ulteriore ſui defenſione, capite Plectitor. Whoſoever confeſſeth himſelf to be a Chriſtian, ſhall as thereby a convicted Enemy of Mankind, without any further Defence of himſelf, looſe his Head. And Oroſius l. 7. c. 7. Primus (Nero) Romae Chriſtianos ſupplicits & mortibus affecit; ac per omnes Provincias pari Perſecutione execruciari imperavit; ipſumque nomen extirpari conatus, &c. Nero was the firſt at Rome, that puniſhed the Chriſtians, and put them to Death; and commanded that through all the Provinces, they ſhould be tormented with like Perſecution; and endeavoured to extirpate the very Name of Chriſtians. Where Note, that tho' all Authors generally make him the firſt Perſecutor of the Chriſtians, it muſt either be underſtood, as firſt of the Emperors; or the firſt general Perſecution, after the Conſtitution of Churches amongſt the Gentiles, which is uſually reckoned from our Saviours Aſcenſion, the Time of twenty five Years to Nero. For that both particular Perſons, and the Church at Jeruſalem, were perſecuted before Nero's Time, is manifeſt in the Acts of the Bleſſed Apoſtles.
There is a Paſſage in Tacitus Annals, l. 15. c. 44. tranſcribed by Sulpicius Severus, l. 2. Hiſt. very remarkable, for Congruity with Scripture, and clearing ſome Places therein. Which I ſhall therefore, tho' ſomewhat large, relate, and improve.
Having ſet forth the burning of Rome, attributed to Nero, Abolendo rumori ſubdidit reos, & quaeſitiſſimis paenis affecit, quos per flagitia inviſos, vulgus Chriſtianos appellabat. Auctor nominis ejus Chriſtus, qui Tiberio Imperitante per Proconſulem Pontium Pilatum ſupplicio affectus erat. Repreſſaque in Praeſens exitiabilis Superſtitio, rurſus erumpebat, non modo per Judaeam, originem ejus mali, ſed per urbem etiam, quo cuncta undique atrocia aut pudenda confluunt, celebranturque. Igitur primo correpti, qui fatebantur, deinde judicio eorum multitudo ingens, haud perinde in crimine incendii, quam odio humani generis convicti ſunt. Et pereuntibus addita ludibria, ut ferarum tergis contecti, leniatu canum interirent, aut crucibus affixi, aut flamandi, atque ubi defeciſſet dies; in uſum nocturni luminis uterentur. Hortos ſui ei ſpectaculo Nero obtulerat. Nero to extinguiſh the Rumor of his burning the City, falſly accuſed, and exquiſitely tormented thoſe, odious for their wickedneſs, which the common People called Chriſtians. The Author of that Name is Chriſt, who in the Reign of Tiberius, was executed by his Proconſul Pontius Pilate. And this Peſtilent Superſtition having been repreſſed for a Time, broke out again, not only in Judea, the Original of that evil, but alſo in the City of Rome, whither all heinous and ſhameful things from all parts flow together, and are had in Eſtimation. Firſt therefore they were apprehended, who confeſſed; then a great multitude of them being diſcovered were convicted in Judgment, not ſo much for the crime of burning the City, as the hatred of Mankind. And mockeries added to their Deaths, they were covered with the Skins of wild Beaſts, that they might be torn in Pieces by Dogs, or Crucified, or Burnt, and when the Day was ſpent, they were uſed for Lights in the Night. Nero had offered his Gardens for this Spectacle.
Here we have the Heathens Opinion of Chriſtianity and Chriſtians: An Atteſtation to that great Article of our Faith, Chriſts Suffering under Pontius Pilate: And the Sufferings of his Servants (for which I alledge the Place eſpecially) Theſe cauſed that Defection of many, the Hiſtorian briefly touches in ſaying, this Pernicious Superſtition (meaning Chriſtianity) was for a Time repreſt. That is, by thoſe former Perſecutions, we have frequently mentioned in Paul's Epiſtles (and alſo thoſe of James and Peter.) Whereby ſome forſook the Chriſtian Aſſemblies, others apoſtatized from the Faith of Chriſt, againſt which the Apoſtle warns the reſt, Hebrews, 10.23. to the end of the Chapter. Others mixt Chriſtianity with Judaiſm (which was tollerated) leſt they ſhould ſuffer Perſecution for the Croſs of Chriſt, Gal. 6.12. Altho thoſe Sanguinary Laws and Bloody Perſecutions that followed, had not as yet fallen on them, as Heb. 12.4. ſhews, where the Apoſtle ſaith, Ye have not yet reſiſted unto Blood. For theſe were begun by Nero, about the ſeventh or eighth Year of his Reign. I ſuppoſe, before the Conflagration at Rome (uſually reckoned the tenth) but for theſe, ſee the ſeveral Notes on c. 2. of Lactantius, de mortibus Perſecutorum. Domitian about thirteen Years after Nero is made Emperor, who in Cruelty ſurpaſt him: Taking Pleaſure in beholding thoſe in Torments, nor ſparing ſome of his neareſt Relations.
Confirmatiſſimam toto orbe Chriſti Eccleſiam, datis ubique crudeliſſimae Perſecutionis Edictis, convellere auſus eſt univerſali Perſecutione. Saith Oroſius l. 7. c. 7. That is, He adventured to pluck up by the Roots the Church of Chriſt, that was moſt firmly ſettled in the whole World, by univerſal Perſecution, Edicts for moſt cruel Perſecutions every where being given out by him. So that how privately ſoever the Chriſtians kept their Aſſemblies, moſt of their Paſtors were forced to fly, according to the Verſe of that Time.
Ʋrbibus antiqui Patres fugêre relictis.
The ancient Fathers leaving the Cities fled.
Trajan about a Year and four Months after Domitian, follows in the Empire, under whom the Third General Perſecution is reckoned. For that many Chriſtians ſuffer'd under him, by his Governours executing the Laws againſt them is manifeſt. For, Suidas ſaith, Tyberianus the Preſident of Syria writ him Word, Se non eſſe parem Chriſtianis occidendis, eo quod ultro illi ſe neci offerrent. That he was not able, or ſufficient for killing the Chriſtians, becauſe of their own Accord, they offered themſelves to Death. And Pliny his Proconſul in Bithynia, after he had put many to Death, affrighted with their Multitude, conſulted the Emperor what was to be done with them, in that excellent Epiſtle to Trajan, l. 10. Epiſt. 98. (mentioned by Tertul. in Apol. Euſebius and others) which I ſhall not tranſcribe, being in moſt Mens hands. Only let me obſerve, that ſo ſevere was the Perſecution, that many for fear, denied they were Chriſtians, tho' they had been they confeſt, but had forſaken it, ſome of them ante plures Annos many Years before; and that after he had forbidden their Societies, according to the Emperors command, they had forborn them; and having faithfully declared, their Manner of Worſhip, and Innocency of Life; yet Trajan anſwers him, They ſhould not be ſought after, but Connived at, except they were Accuſed and Convicted, and then if they perſiſted, they ſhould be puniſhed. Conquirendi non ſunt: Si deferantur, & arguantur, puniendi ſunt, by which occaſion, ſaith Euſebius, l. 3. Hiſt. c. 33. Plurimi ex fidelibus multiplicis Martyrii certamen ſubjerunt. Many of the Chriſtian ſuffered manifold Martyrdom. And thus I have gone through the firſt Age, and the Times of all the Apoſtles; St. John who out-lived all the reſt, till the third Year of Trajan (as Iraeneus and Hierom affirm) and dyed 100. or more Years of old Age. From what's ſaid, let any impartial Man judge, If in the Apoſtles Times as well as ever ſince, the Chriſtians had ſuch Places for Worſhip, as our Adverſaries contend for.
I deſign not a Hiſtory, and therefore ſhall not proceed to the General Perſecutions that follows in the Second and Third Century, which together with the former, are generally counted Ten (tho' differently reckoned) that they may anſwer the Ten Plagues of Egypt, but by ſome Twelve in Number. In regard 'tis needleſs; ſo many having related them at large, Euſebius eſpecially, at whoſe Torch moſt after him Light their Candles. And in our own Language, Fox in the beginning of his Martyrology. I ſhall only requeſt, the conſidering the Hiſtory of thoſe general Perſecutions in the Roman Empire; and it will appear, that tho' they were not continual, yet the Chriſtians in the firſt Ages had not any long time of Repoſe, tho' ſome lucid Intervals ſometimes, when the Affairs of the Empire were diſturbed and turbulent, (as is uſual we know by Modern Examples) eſpecially from Commodus to Severus, and from Severus to Decius. So that it was the wonderful Work of God, and Power of his Grace, that carried on the Work of the Goſpel, againſt all Oppoſition; and let the World ſee how vain the Attempts of Men were, againſt what Gods Hand and Counſel determined before ſhould come to paſs. As Tertul. in c. 5. Apolog. Cruciate, torquete, damnate, atterite nos—. Plures efficimur quoties metimur à vobis. Semen eſt Sanguis Chriſtianorum, Torment, torture, condemn, break us to Pieces. The oftner we are Mowen down by you, the more we are made. The Blood of Chriſtians, is the Seed of the Church. And becauſe ſome pretend, the good Nature of ſome of the Emperors, and their peaceable Reigns: It is not denied, that ſome were far better, comparatively than others, as Nerva, Domitians Succeſſor, who recalled thoſe he had Baniſhed, as John the Evangeliſt, with many others, and acquitted the Chriſtians from the Rigour of the Laws. But Alas! this was but a ſhort Breathing Time, he having Reigned but four Months and nine Days above a Year; ſo that it's ſcarce accounted; nor ſome that were longer, no nor any, as the effect of their Clemency, but Reaſon of State, and their being imbarreſt in other Affairs, or imbroiled in Wars. For this we have Theodoret's evident Teſtimony, Hiſt. l. 1. c. 38. Quotquot Imperatores ante Conſtantinum M. regnarunt, contra Veritatis Profeſſores inſana rabie furere non deſierunt. All the Emperors that Reigned before Conſtantine the Great, ceaſed not with mad Fury to Rage againſt the Profeſſors of the Truth. So that we may conclude, there was no truſting to their Friendſhip, or Favour, further than their Temporal Intereſt, and their own Safety, and Security of the Government were concerned. And therefore ſmall Opportunity or Incouragement for Chriſtians injoying any publick Places for Worſhip conſtantly, much leſs for Building any ſuch.