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mans, and in his other writings, to extirpate such CENT. a pernicious and capital error.

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PART II.

Judaizing

XIII. The controversy that had been raised. concerning the necessity of observing the ceremonies of the Mosaic law, was determined by the Christians. apostles in the wisest and most prudent manner [u]. Their authority, however, respectable as it was, had not its full effect. For the prejudices, which the Jews, especially those who lived in Palestine, entertained in favour of the Mosaic law, and their ancient worship, were so deeply rooted in their minds, that they could not be thoroughly removed. The force of these prejudices was, indeed, somewhat diminished after the destruction of Jerusalem, and the ruin of the temple, but not entirely destroyed. And hence, as we shall see in its place, a part of the judaizing Christians separated themselves from the rest, and forined a particular sect, distinguished by their adherence to the law of Moses.

CHAP. IV.

Concerning the rites and ceremonies used in the church during this century.

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NHE Christian religion was singularly com- Baptism mendable on account of its beautiful and divine simplicity, which appears from the two per instigreat and fundamental principles on which it was Christ. built, viz. faith and charity. This simplicity was not, however, incompatible with certain external rights, and positive institutions, which, indeed, are necessary, in this imperfect state, to keep alive a sense of religion in the minds of men. The rites instituted by Christ himself were only

[u] Acts xv.

two

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CENT. two in number, and these designed to continue to the end of the church here below, without any PART II variation. These rites were baptism and the holy supper, which are not to be considered as mere ceremonies, nor yet as symbolic representations only, but also as ordinances accompanied with a sanctifying influence upon the heart and the affections of true Christians. And we cannot help observing here, that since the divine Saviour thought fit to appoint no more than two plain institutions in his church, this shews us that a number of ceremonies is not essential to his religion, and that he left it to the free and prudent choice of Christians to establish such rites as the circumstances of the times, or the exigencies of the church might require.

Rites instituted by the apostles.

The Jewish

ed in seve

II. There are several circumstances which incline us to think, that the friends and apostles of our blessed Lord, either tolerated through necessity, or appointed for wise reasons, many other external rites in various places. At the same time, we are not to imagine, that they ever conferred upon any person a perpetual, indelible, pontifical authority, or that they enjoined the same rites in all churches. We learn, on the contrary, from authentic records, that the Christian worship was, from the beginning, celebrated in a different manner in different places, and that, no doubt, by the orders, or at least with the approbation of the apostles and their disciples. In these early times it was both wise and necessary to shew, in the establishment of outward forms of worship, some indulgence to the ancient opinions, manners, and laws of the respective nations to whom the gospel was preached.

III. From hence it follows, that the opinion rites retain- of those who maintain that the Jewish rites were ral places. adopted every where, in the Christian churches, by order of the apostles, or their disciples, is desti

tute

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PART II.

tute of all foundation. In those Christian so- CENT. cieties, which were totally, or principally composed of Jewish converts, it was natural to retain as much of the Jewish ritual as the genius of Christianity would suffer, and a multitude of examples testify that this was actually done. But that the same translation of Jewish rites should take place in Christian churches, where there were no Jews, or a very small and inconsiderable number, is utterly incredible, because such an event was morally impossible. In a word, the external forms of worship used in the times of old, must necessarily have been regulated and modified according to the character, genius, and manners of the different nations on which the light of the gospel arose.

Christians.

IV. Since then there was such a variety in the Public asritual and discipline of the primitive churches, it semblies of must be very difficult to give such an account of the worship, manners, and institutions, of the ancient Christians, as will agree with what was practised in all those countries where the gospel flourished. There are, notwithstanding, certain laws, whose authority and obligation were universal and indispensible among all Christians, and of these we shall here give a brief account. All Christians were unanimous in setting apart the first day of the week, on which the triumphant Saviour arose from the dead, for the solemn celebration of public worship. This pious custom, which was derived from the example of the church of Jerusalem, was founded upon the express appointment of the apostles, who consecrated that day to the same sacred purpose, and was observed universally throughout all the Christian churches, as appears from the united testimonies of the most credible writers [w]. The seventh day of the week was

also

[w] Phil. Jac. Hartmannus, De rebus gestis Christianorum sub Apostolis, cap. xv. p. 387. Just. Henn. Bohmer.

Dissert.

PART II.

CENT. also observed as a festival [x], not by the ChrisI. tians in general, but by such churches only as were principally composed of Jewish converts, nor did the other Christians censure this custom as criminal and unlawful. It appears, moreover, that all the Christian churches observed two great anniversary festivals; the one in memory of Christ's glorious resurrection; and the other to commemorate the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles [y]. To these we may add the days on which the blessed martyrs laid down their lives for the truth, which days were probably dignified with particular solemnities and marks of veneration from the earliest times.

V. The places in which the first Christians assembled to celebrate divine worship, were, no doubt, the houses of private persons. But, in process of time, it became necessary, that these sacred assemblies should be confined to one fixed place,

in

Dissert. i. Juris. Eccles. Antiqui de stato die Christianor. p.

20. &c.

[x] Steph. Curcellæus, Diatriba de esu Sanguinis, Operum Theolog. p. 958. Gab. Albaspinæus, Observat. Eccles. lib. i. Observ. xiii. p. 53. It is in vain that many learned men have laboured to prove, that, in all the primitive churches, both the first and last day of the week were observed as festivals. The churches of Bithynia, of which Pliny speaks in his letter to Trajan, had only one stated day, for the celebration of public worship; and that was, undoubtedly, the first day of the week, or what we call the Lord's Day.

[y] There are, it is true, learned men, who look upon it as a doubtful matter, whether or no the day of Pentecost was celebrated as a festival so early as the first century. See Bing ham's Antiquities of the Christian Church, book xx. chap. vi. p. 120. But, notwithstanding this, there are many weighty reasons for believing that festival as ancient as that of Easter, which was celebrated, as all agree, from the very first rise of the church. It is also probable, that Friday, the day of Christ's crucifixion, was early distinguished by particular honours from the other days of the week. See Jac. Godofred, in Codicem Theodosii, tom. i. p. 138. Asseman Biblioth. Oriental. Vatican. tom. i. p. 217. 237. Martene, Thesaur. Anecdot. tom. v. p. 66.

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PART II.

in which the books, tables, and desks, required CENT. in divine service, might be constantly kept, and the dangers avoided, which, in those perilous times, attended their transportation from one place to another. And then, probably, the places of meeting, that had formerly belonged to private persons, became the property of the whole Christian community [x]. These few remarks, are, in my opinion, sufficient to determine that question, which has been so long, and so tediously debated, viz, whether the first Christians had churches or not [a]? Since, if any are pleased to give the name of church to a house, or the part of a house, which, though appointed as the place of religious worship, was neither separated from common use, nor considered as holy in the opinion of the people, it will be readily granted, that the most ancient Christians had churches.

ducting the

these as

VI. In these assemblies the holy scriptures were The manpublicly read, and for that purpose were divided ner of coninto certain portions or lessons. This part of di- public worvine service was followed by a brief exhortation ship in to the people, in which eloquence and art gave semblies. place to the natural and fervent expression of zeal and charity. If any declared themselves extraordinarily animated by the Holy Spirit, they were permitted to explain successively the divine will, while the other prophets who were present, decided how much weight and authority was to be attributed to what they said [b]. The prayers, which made a considerable part of the public worship, came in at the conclusion of these discourses, and

[z] See Camp. Vitringa, De Synagoga vetere, lib. i. par. III. cap. i. p. 432.

[a] See Blondel, De Episcopis et Presbyteris, sect. iii. p. 216. 243. 246. Just. Henn. Bohmer, Dissert. ii. Juris. Eccles. Antiqui, de Antelucanis Christianorum Cœtibus, sect. 4. p. 39. Bingham's Antiquities of the Christian Church, book viii. ch. i. sect. 3, 4, 5, 6.

[b] 1 Cor. xiv. 6.

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