at a common councell there held the two and twentieth day of august, 1656 in the time of dennis wise, esq; mayor there. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a86043 of text r211809 in the english short title catalog (thomason 669.f.20[29]). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 5 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a86043 wing g884a thomason 669.f.20[29] estc r211809 99870504 99870504 163446 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a86043) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 163446) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 247:669f20[29]) at a common councell there held the two and twentieth day of august, 1656 in the time of dennis wise, esq; mayor there. wise, dennis. dorney, john, b. 1604 or 5. 1 sheet ([1] p.) s.n., [london : 1656] imprint from wing. signed at end: john dorney, town-clarke. annotation on thomason copy: "aug: 22 1656". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng cathedrals -england -gloucester -early works to 1800. church buildings -england -gloucester -early works to 1800. church fund raising -england -gloucester -early works to 1800. gloucester (england) -history -17th century -early works to 1800. a86043 r211809 (thomason 669.f.20[29]). civilwar no at a common councell there held the two and twentieth day of august, 1656: in the time of dennis wise, esq; mayor there. wise, dennis 1656 779 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2007-09 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-09 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-10 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-10 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion at a common councell there held the two and twentieth day of august , 1656 , in the time of dennis wise , esq mayor there . forasmuch as his highnesse , the lord protector , and his councel , the first of iuly last , have been pleased to order that the late cathedrall , or colledge church in this city of gloucester , and the utensils thereof , with the cloysters , and other things mentioned in the said order , be thenceforth enjoyed by the mayor and burgesses of this city , and their successors , for the preaching and hearing of gods word , and other publique uses , in the said order expressed . and forasmuch as the said church is now very ruinous , and in great decay , for want of needfull and necessary reparations , and great part thereof ready to fall downe , unlesse the same be timely prevented ; the charge of which said reparations is too great to be borne by the chamber of this city , being already much indebted , by reason of their former charges and engagements for the publique . and in regard divers gentlemen , and others , have expressed their willingnesse to contribute to so good a worke , it is thereupon thought fit and ordered by the said mayor and burgesses of the said city , that the ruines and decayés aforesaid , especially such as are most needfull , be speedily repaired and amended ; and that for the better effecting thereof , the benevolence of such gentlemen , and others , as are minded to be benefactors to so good a worke , be prayed and desired ; and to that end it is now further ordered , that laurence singleton , one of the aldermen of the said city , toby iordan , thomas pierce of the same , gentlemen , george guinnet the elder , of shurdington in the county of the said city gentleman , iohn brewster of the city of london gentleman , iohn singleton , iames commelin , iohn tomes , godfrey ellis , william angell , walter harris , iohn donne , and thomas burroughes of the same city , gentlemen , and master matthew haviland , master iohn wells , master iohn langley , master thomas tyther , and master robert gyde of the city of london , and every of them be intrusted to be collectors , and to make their addresses to such persons as in their discretions they shall think fit to represent the ruinous condition of the said church unto , and to receive the subscriptions , or what shall be freely given and bestowed towards the repaire thereof , and from time to time to pay in and deliver what shall be by them so received , unto dennis wise of the city of gloucester , alderman , who is now also appointed to be treasurer to receive the said money ; which said treasurer is hereby ordered to issue out the same from time to time , according to such order or orders in writing , as he shall receive from the mayor of the said city for the time being , william cooke , thomas hodges , christopher gise , richard atkins of the county of the city of gloucester , esquires , evan seys , thomas pury the elder , thomas pury the younger , of the said city of gloucester , esquires , and anthony edwards , one of the aldermen of the said city , or any three of them under their hands : which said mayor , william cooke , thomas hodges , christopher gise , richard atkins , evan seys , thomas pury the elder , thomas pury the younger , and anthony edwards , are desired and intrusted to be trustees and overseers , to take care for the speedy repaire of the said church , according as money shall come in for the doing thereof . and the said collectors are hereby also ordered from time to time to give an account of what they shall receive , and pay in to the said treasurer , and the said treasurer is also to give an account of his receits and disbursements , all to be entred into a register booke , to be kept by the mayor for the time being , to the end that it may appeare what is given and brought in , as also laid out for the uses aforesaid . aug : 22 1656 john dorney , town-clarke . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a86043e-30 city of glouc. ss. upon the stately structure of bow-church and steeple, burnt, an. 1666, rebuilt, 1679, or, a second poem upon nothing rochester, john wilmot, earl of, 1647-1680. 1679 approx. 6 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-01 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a57504 wing r1761a estc r213194 31355831 ocm 31355831 110704 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a57504) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 110704) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1752:10) upon the stately structure of bow-church and steeple, burnt, an. 1666, rebuilt, 1679, or, a second poem upon nothing rochester, john wilmot, earl of, 1647-1680. 1 sheet ([1] p.). s.n., [london : 1679?] attributed by wing (2nd ed.) to john wilmot, earl of rochester. imperfect: cropped, with loss of text. reproduction of original in the harvard university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng saint mary le bow (church : london, england) -poetry. church buildings -england -london. london (england) -history -17th century. broadsides -london (england) -17th century. 2002-04 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2002-05 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2002-06 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2002-06 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-07 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion upon the stately structure of bow-church and steeple , burnt , an. 1666. rebuilt , 1679. or a second psm upon nothing ! look how the country-hobbs with wonder flock to see the city-crest , turn'd weathercock ! which with each shifting gale , veres to and fro ; london has now got twelve strings to her bow ! the wind 's south-east , and straight the dragon russels his brazen wings , to court the breeze from brussels ! the wind 's at north ! and now his hissing fork , whirles round , to meet a flattering gale from york ! boxing the compass , with each freshing gale , but still to london turns his threatning tayle . but stay ! what 's there ; i spy a stranger thing ; our red-cross brooded by the dragon's wing ! the wing is warm ; but o! beware the sting ! poor english-cross , expos'd to winds , and weathers , forc't to seek shelter in the dragon's feathers ! ne're had old rome so rare a piece to brag on , a temple built to great bell , and the dragon ! whilst yet undaunted protestants , dare hope , they that will worship bell , shall wear the rope . o how our english chronicles will shine ! burn't , sixty six ; rebuilt , in seventy nine . when iacob hall on his high rope shews tricks , the dragon flutters ; the lord mayor's horse , kicks ; the cheapside-crowds , and pageants scarcely know which most t' admire , hall , hobby-horse , or bow ! but what mad frenzy set your zeal on fire , ( grave citizens ! ) to raise immortal spire on sea-coal basis ? which will sooner yield matter to burn a temple , than to build ! what the coals build , the ashes bury ! no men of wisdom , but would dread the threatning omen ! but say ( proud dragon ! ) now preferr'd so high , what marvels from that prospect dost thou spy ? westward thou seest , and seeing hat'st the walls of , sometimes rev'rend , now regenerate , pauls , thy envious eyes , such glories cannot brook , but as the devil once o're lincoln , look : and envys poison , will thy bowels tear sooner than daniel's dose , of pitch , and hair ! then eastward , to avoid that wounding sight , th 〈…〉 light adorn'd with monstrous forms to clear the scope , how much thou art out-dragon'd by the pope . ah fools ! to dress a monument of woe in whistling silks , that should in sackcloth , go ! nay strangely wise , our senators appear to build that , and a bedlam in a year , that if the mum-glass crack , they may inherit an hospital becoming their great merit ! to royal westminster , next turn thine eye ; perhaps a parliament thou mayst espy , dragons of old gave oracles at rome ; then prophesie , their day , their date , and doom ● and if thy visual ray can reach the main ; tell 's when the duke , new gone , returns again ! facing about ; next view our guildhall well , where reverend fox-furrs charm'd by potent spell of elephants , ( turn'd wrong side outward ) dare applaud the plays ; and yet hiss out the player : player ! whose wise zeal for city , country , king , shall to all points of the wide compass ring whilst bow has bells , or royal thames a spring ! thy roving eye perhaps from hague may send 's how the new league , has made old foes , new friends : but let substantial witness , credence give it , or ne're believe me , if the house believe it ! if true , i fear too late ! france at one sup , ( like pearls dissolv'd in cloepatra's cup ) trade , empire , neatherlands has swallowed up ! but heark ! the dragon speaks from brazen mouth , whose words , though wind , are spoken in good south ! to you of ratling fame , and great esteem ; the higher placed , the less you ought to seem ! to you of noble souls , and gallant minds , learn to outface ( with me ) the huffing winds ! to tim'rous feeble spirits , that live beneath ; learn not of me to turn with every breath ! to those who like ( camelions ) live on air ; popular praise is thin consumptive fare ! to you who steeple upon steeple set , cut my cocks-comb if e're to heaven you get . orders set downe by the most reuerend father in god, samuel, by the prouidence of god archbishop of yorke his grace, metropolitane of england to bee presently published and affixed in all the parish churches within his said graces iurisdiction, for the better reforming of certaine abuses within the same. church of england. province of york. archbishop (1628-1631 : harsnett) 1629 approx. 5 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a02754 stc 12884 estc s100995 99836822 99836822 1111 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a02754) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 1111) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 773:05) orders set downe by the most reuerend father in god, samuel, by the prouidence of god archbishop of yorke his grace, metropolitane of england to bee presently published and affixed in all the parish churches within his said graces iurisdiction, for the better reforming of certaine abuses within the same. church of england. province of york. archbishop (1628-1631 : harsnett) harsnett, samuel, 1561-1631. 1 sheet ([1] p.) by iohn bill, printer to the kings most excellent maiestie, imprinted at london : 1629. reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng church buildings -england -secular use -early works to 1800. 2007-08 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-08 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-09 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-09 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion ❧ orders set downe by the most reuerend father in god , samvel , by the prouidence of god archbishop of yorke his grace , metropolitane of england , to bee presently published and affixed in all the parish churches within his said graces iurisdiction , for the better reforming of certaine abuses within the same . the ancient and laudable vse of visitations , haue beene to reforme such abuses , as by tract of time haue crept into the church ; the discouery of which abuses , as by a booke of articles is offered vnto you , and you bound by a sacred oath to present the same ; so for the refreshing of your memories , and discharge of mine owne conscience towards god , i thought fit to denote some in particular vnto you . first , i vnderstand of a great irreuerence , openly shewed in your churches and chappels during the time of diuine seruice ; which is , that yong men mis-led by the example of their elders , doe sit couered with their hats on their heads , neither regarding the holinesse of the house of god , nor the greatnesse of the diuine maiestie , which is to bee worshipped with feare and reuerence : for a present remedie of this abuse , i require the churchwardens and side-men , at the beginning of diuine seruice , to looke carefully vpon the congregation , and if any of the elder sort offend in this kinde , i require them to goe personally vnto them , and to desire them in gentle termes to remember themselues , and to sit vncouered : and if after gentle admonition they doe not forbeare , then i require that they bee presented at my next court day , holden in yorke : and for the yonger sort , i require the churchwardens to goe personally vnto them , in case they offend , and to rebuke them sharpely for their contempt , and if they persist , and will not obey by vncouering their heads , i will the churchwardens to pull off their hats , and i require the masters of such profane seruants , and fathers of children , to giue them such priuate chastisement , as the qualitie of their fact requireth . secondly , i am giuen to vnderstand , that it is growen vsuall and familiar for men to walke vp and downe , and to talke before and after diuine seruice within the church , and in some parishes to keepe ales and drinkings within the church , and when the parishioners doe make their vsuall rates , that they goe vp to the communion table , and there write them , and that about the setting of those rates many vnchristian and vnseemely words are exchanged amongst them , to the great dishonour of almighty god , and the profanation of his holy temple , which if they bee not speedily amended , i shall vse all the seuerity against the offenders , that any law , canon , or constitution ecclesiasticall shall affoord . thirdly , it commeth from the grones and sighes of the people , that for a booke of articles containing little more then two leaues in quarto , which may bee printed for the value of a penie , an archdeacon at his annuall visitation , exacteth from euery parish , two shillings and sixe pence , and compelleth them euery yeere to take new bookes , whereas one booke will serue for many yeeres , and that the archbishops chancellour in the visitation riseth higher , and requireth for euery booke of articles of euery parish , iij. s. ab initionon fuit sic ; & malus mos , quanto antiquior , tanto nequior . for redresse hereof , i require the archdeacon at his annuall visitation to take for euery booke of articles but sixe pence , and in seuen yeeres following to impose no booke at all vpon the seuerall parishes , but to let their old bookes to serue the turne , except such parishes as haue lost their old bookes : and for mine owne visitation , i command , that no more then twelue pence be required for a booke of articles , nor no more paid ; the distribution of which twelue pence amongst the apparators and others , i reserue to my selfe . fourthly , i heare much complaint of the increase and exaction of fees , by seuerall officers in seuerall courts , much to the scandall of our ecclesiasticall iurisdiction : for remedy whereof i strictly charge my register to carrie with him , and to affixe in a publique place , that all men may see and reade them , a table containing the seuerall , ancient , and accustomed fees for all matters belonging to my visitation : and if any of my officers shal directly or indirectly , exact or take any greater fees , vpon iust complaint i shal lay suspension , or any other greater censure vpon him , that the law ecclesiasticall shall authorize me to inflict . so god blesse vs. ¶ imprinted at london by iohn bill , printer to the kings most excellent maiestie . 1629. berwicks beauty, or, a church erecting there denton, robert, 17th cent. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a35693 of text r20404 in the english short title catalog (wing d1063). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 17 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 8 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a35693 wing d1063 estc r20404 12677278 ocm 12677278 65593 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a35693) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 65593) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 959:29) berwicks beauty, or, a church erecting there denton, robert, 17th cent. 15 p. [s.n.], london : 1650. reproduction of original in bodleian library. eng church finance -great britain -early works to 1800. church buildings -great britain. a35693 r20404 (wing d1063). civilwar no berwicks beauty, or a church erecting there. denton, robert 1650 2791 14 0 0 0 0 0 50 d the rate of 50 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the d category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2006-09 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-09 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2006-11 celeste ng sampled and proofread 2006-11 celeste ng text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion berwicks beauty , or a church erecting there . haggai 1. 7 , 8. thus saith the lord of hosts , consider your own ways in your hearts . go up to the mountain , and bring wood and build this house , and i will be favorable in it , and i will be glorified , saith the lord . london : printed in the year , 1650. to the honorable , colonel george fenwick , governor of the town of berwick upon tweed ; and to the right worshipful thomas watson esquire , major of the same . gentlemen , that zeal to the building the lords house , which discovers it self in your care and charge in beginning , and diligent progress in expediting the same , is the ground of this presumption , and encourages me to this boldnes . though with the vvidow it be but a mite , yet i shall with her heart also cast it into your treasury , hoping it may further the work , and confident it will be accepted by you both , as a good intention , though no large portion from your faithful and devoted servant , robert denton . a mite cast into the treasury . the glory of god ought to be the first and chiefest end of every intention and action . his glory is not more illustrated in any thing , than in erecting churches ( or places , or what you please to term them ) for his publique worship and service ; if therein we pray unto and praise his great and glorious name : for , my h●use shall be called the house of prayer to all nations , saith god by the mouth of the prophet , isa. 56. 7. and , he that there offereth praise , shall glorifie me , saith the lord by the prophetick king , psal. 50. 23. this church , i presume is begun to be erected with the same intentions , nor want i a firm foundation for that presumption ; therefore , i also ( being born in , and sworn to that corporation , to act all things that may conduce to its good ) conclude my self engaged in conscience to my power to assist in so religious and pious an action : the way by which i conceive i may best discharge this engagement , is , first , by humbly representing such encouragements as may confirm those noble resolutions , which so piously have begun , chearfully to proceed in so religious a work . secondly , by discovering such things ( as known ) may further and advance it . and lastly , by humbly requesting a lawful favor of the major , bayliffs and burgesses of that corporation , that thereby i may be enabled to be a contributor also thereunto . i shal not need to insist much upon encouragement of those , whose zeal to perfect the work declares them such , as willingly offered themselves , judges 5. 2. yet i am confident this motive may fan up that zeal to a brighter flame , if they will be pleased to eye the good fruit which this work will produce , and the reward they shall gain thereby . our savior was much moved , and as a prevalent motive also it was urged by the elders of the jews to perswade and induce christ to grant the centurions petition , and to prevail with him to heal his servant , because he loveth , said they , our nation , and hath built us a synagogue , luke 7. 5. the building an house for the assemblies of the servants of god , is an undenyable testimony of a mans zeal towards the true worship and service of god ; and when the piety of superiors shall discover it self , by attempting and furthering the erecting houses for the exercise of the publique worship of god , weak and simple people are invited by their example to respect religion , and reverence the service of god ; yea godless barbarity , is converted to christian civility , and heathenish liberty to comely policy ; and the present age shall be encouraged by their example , to go and do likewise , luke 10. 37. at least , seeing this their good work may glorifie their father which is in heaven , matth. 5. 16. and as for their reward ; both the present and future ages shall speak their praise , and bless god for this good monument of their religious intentions , when children shall be instructed by their godly parents , to say , this house of god was begun , furthered and finished in the time , by the care and diligence and ( in part ) at the cost of colonel ge●rge fenwick governor , and thomas watson esq ; major of the town of berwick upon tweed . neither doth this their zeal want encouragement from the blessed spirit of god it self , for they have for their president , the examples of the best men in gods holy word , recorded as powerful motives to perswade them to an unwearied prosecution of such pious resolutions . david in his greatness did advise to build gods house , 2 sam. 7. 2. the result whereof , was that holy and heavenly ejaculation : the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up , psal. 69. 9. i will not say , that the expression is now inverted , and the zeal of some hath eaten up gods house . solomon thought it the chiefest part of his royalty , to act what his father projected , 1 kings 5. 5. cyrus an heathen proclaims it as his charge from the god of heaven , to build the house of the lord for his worship and service , ezra 1. 2. and both ezra and nehemiah made it their principal work to put in execution that religious proclamation ezra 8. and nehem. 4. these examples i hope are not needlesly inserted for their encouragement , i come now to my promised discovery . king joash minding to renew the house of the lord , gathered together the priests and the levites , and said unto them , go out unto the cities of judah , and gather of all israel money to repair the house of god from year to year , or for a year , and see that you haste the matter , 2 chron. 24. 5. jehoiada the priest took a chest , and slit an hole in the lid of it , and set it beside the altar , on the right side , as one cometh into the house of the lord ; and the priests that kept the door , put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the lord , 2 kings 12. 9. this money ( when much , or a sum ) was taken out and delivered to the overseers of the work , to be laid out to the workmen , but were not called to an accompt ; for they dealt faithfully , 2 kings 12. 15. faithful dealing in matters belonging to the publique good , procures a quietus est , at an easie rate ; whereas those who waste their masters goods , ought at a dear rate to receive that summons , give an accompt of thy stewardship , for thou mayest be no longer steward , luke 16. 2. would not those men deserve a sharp check , whose private avarice should swallow up a kings publique bounty , and policy divert that to their own ends , which a princes piety granted and designed for a common good ? they then who should make use of that for the repairing of their own , which such a king intended for the restoring the house of god , must justly merit haggaie's reprehension : is it time for your selves to dwell in sieled houses , and this house lie waste , haggai 1. 4. for , ( be the pretence what it will ) yet the abuse of such sums as are collected for pious and religious purposes , evidently demonstrates that such men prefer self-policy and private profit to religion ; nay , it clearly shews that such men seek their private necessities , yea very pleasures before gods honor ; and such unfaithful collectors , merit the unprofitable servants judgement , matth. 25. 28. the late king granted his letters patents in 1641. to the major , bayliffs and burgesses of the town of berwick upon tweed , to gather and collect through all england money to build a new church in the said town , in lieu of trinity church demolished in queen maries days ; the vertue of those letters patents was to endure for one year onely . thomas davison taylor , having all the briefs delivered to him , in number 9000 , and some hundreds , gives his bill to be accomptable to the whole town for the same , and that bill was attested by j●hn sleigh , robert sleigh his son , patrick ramsey , and robert denton of black fryars in l●nd●n : this bill is in the custody of mr. sleigh senior , and as for thomas davison , he being deceased , his executrix is able to make satisfaction , and lives in the said b●ack-fryars . but here the af●resaid robert denton must in conscience give this testimony to the said thomas davison deceased , that he hath often professed to him , that he had paid in all the moneys that he had received for this business to mr. sleigh , either by bills of exchange , or according to his special orders , and therefore he humbly conceives that this should be charged home to mr. sleigh to clear himself ; and also that every person concerned in this business , be compelled to give in their accompt upon oath , and where any are found tardy , that interest be exacted ( as in justice and equity it may ) f●r the sums they shall be f●und to be in arrears ; but this he submits to the wisdom of those in authority whom it chiefly concerns . thomas davison , in september 1641. did send some of these briefs to the abovenamed robert den●ons house ( because as then he had not anhouse of his own ) and being the same septemb. sent by the parliament into scotland , returned not almost in three moneths after ; and the year consuming , the said robert denton by vertue of a commission from the town , under the common seal and hands subscribed ( which he can make appear ) having also great seals and letters of deputation , delivered some briefs to such brief-gatherers as repaired to him , and took bonds of them to be accomptable , as followeth ; pollo logous a grecian , received briefs to collect in essex , hertfordshire and buckinghamshire , his security mr. brown in black-fryars , the sum 300l . mr. gravener , to collect in suffolk and n●rfolk ; his security mr. l●w in butt●lph-lane , the sum 300 l. mr. anthony que , to collect w●lts , berks , and hampshire , with other places , as by his bond appears ; his security mr. newberry in watlingstreet , the sum 300l . these bonds were by a special order from mr. sleigh then major , commanded from denton and delivered to davison . davison took bonds of many in the west part of england on this side trent , for which his executrix is to be accomptable according to his aforesaid security . mr. john burges and eward allison , paid in unto mr. sleigh aforesaid , the sum of 300l . or thereabouts . the castle of berwick was by dentons care and diligence , purchased of the earl of suffolk for 330l . for which sir thomas witherington ( a worthy instrument of this work ) was bound , and the materials to be imployed meerly to this end ( towards the building of the church ) though mr. nicholas foster offered unto the said denton 450l . to have purchased it for his own particular use , as he himself will justifie ; but how some of the materials so purchased were disposed of , the abovenamed mr. sleigh may give account : but denton can give no other account for this his careful service , but that for his pains he was hardly dealt with by the guild , septemb. 1649. mr. thomas carew a bedchamber-man , gave by will towards the building of the church 200l . which sum by mr. fisher was paid to davison , for which his executrix is to be accomptable . robert dento● , coming to accompt for his collections for kent , & some part of warwickshire , as by the briefs endorsed appears , was found debtor to the town for the foresaid use in the sum of 50l . as will appear by record in the guild book , september , 1649. and this necessitates robert dentons humble request of a lawful favor of the major , bayliffs and burgesses of the corporation of berwick aforesaid , as followeth ; sir pelham carew ( deceased ) in his life time became debtor in a bond of 150l . real debt to robert denton , but taken in the name of the major , bayliffs and burgesses of berwick aforesaid , because some part thereof by the said robert denton , was designed towards the building of the aforesaid church . his relict the lady mary carew , now wife to mr. george palour living in the tower of london , is lyable to this debt , and able to pay it , having an estate of her late husbands worth 90l . per annum , in horsham in the county of sussex . this bond is for the present in the hands of the widow davison , delivered by robert denton as a pledge or engagement for his faithful performance of his promises and obligations as aforesaid . mistress davison denies to deliver the bond without a special proxy from the guild , because made in their name . therefore the said robert denton humbly desires that the guild would by a proxy command the bond out of the said mistress davisons custody , and that the honorable the governor , the worshipful the major , bayliffs and burgesses , would be pleased to write effectually and prevalently to the lady mary carew , without further delay or trouble to pay the foresaid 150l . having been now due about ten years , by which payment he shall be enabled , not onely to pay the 50l . which he owes to the town , but also to perform the free design of his heart as a contribution towards this so religious a work ; besides , it will help towards the payment of mr. yong ( the mason in this work ) to whom the said robert denton is indebted in 100l . and as for the lady mary carew , report ( and her own conversation justifying that report ) speaks her to the world as the most religious , most pious , and withal exactly just in her dealings : therefore , it is not to be doubted that she will so derogate from her native worth and nobleness , as to deny the payment of that debt , which her conscience cannot but dictate unto her is most justly due and payable by her , in relation to the noble knight her husband deceased ; but especially , seeing it will advance so religious a work , and that in her native town , when she shall hear the work is begun . to all , i take not upon me to advise , much less to prescribe to such honorable and worthy persons , in so great and high imployments : these are onely humble representations of that service which is due to them , and desires , which are with humility requested of them , by their faithful servant , robert denton . finis . churches, that is, appropriate places for christian vvorship both in, and ever since the apostles times. a discourse at first more briefly delivered in a colledge chappell, and since enlarged. by joseph mede, b.d. and fellow of christs colledge in cambridge. mede, joseph, 1586-1638. 1638 approx. 93 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 40 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2004-08 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a07381 stc 17765 estc s122056 99857209 99857209 22899 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a07381) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 22899) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1247:12) churches, that is, appropriate places for christian vvorship both in, and ever since the apostles times. a discourse at first more briefly delivered in a colledge chappell, and since enlarged. by joseph mede, b.d. and fellow of christs colledge in cambridge. mede, joseph, 1586-1638. [6], 74 p. printed by m[iles] f[lesher] for john clark, and are to be sold at his shop under st peters church in cornhill, london : m dc xxxviii. [1638] printer's name from stc. the first leaf is blank. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng church buildings -early works to 1800. worship -early works to 1800. 2004-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-06 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2004-06 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-07 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion chvrches , that is , appropriate places for christian vvorship ; both in , and ever since the apostles times . a discourse at first more briefly delivered in a colledge chappell , and since enlarged . by joseph mede b. d. and fellow of christs colledge in cambridge . london , printed by m. f. for john clark , and are to be sold at his shop under s t peters church in cornhill . m dc xxxviii . rev mo . in christo patri et domino svo svmme honorando , domino gvilielmo divina providentia archiepiscopo cantvariensi , metropolitano , totivsqve angliae primati . hanc suam de ecclesiarum ( hoc est , locorum cultui christiano dicatorum ) jam inde ab apostolorum temporibus antiquitate dissertationem , antiquitatis ecclesiasticae propugnatori , sublatique inter sacrum & profanum discriminis assertori eximio , in grati & officiosi animi indicium eâ , quâ decet , submissione , & favoris spe dicat consecratque rev ma paternitatis ipsius cultor & sacellanus observantissimus i. m. perlegi hanc dissertationem historicam de christianarum ecclesiarum antiquitate , cui titulus est [ churches , &c. both in and ever since the apostles times . ] in quâ nihil reperio fidei orthodoxae , aut historiae ecclesiasticae contrarium , quo minùs cum utilitate publicâ imprimatur , ita tamen , ut si non intra tres menses proximè sequentes typis mandetur , haec licentia sit ominò irrita . iun . 4 o. 1638. r mo . in christo patri , & d no. d. arch. cant. sacellanus domesticus guil . bray. chvrches : that is , appropriate places for christian worship both in , and ever since the apostles times . 1 cor. 11. 22. have ye not houses to eat and drink in ? [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; ] or despise ye the chvrch of god ? it is taken in a maner for granted by the most of our reformed writers , and affirmed also by * some of the other side : that in the apostles times , and in the ages next after them ( whilest the church lived under pagan and persecuting emperours ) christians had no oratories , or places set apart for divine worshipp ; but that they assembled here and there promiscuously , and uncertainly , as they pleased , or the occasion served , in places of common use , and not otherwise . but that this is an errour , i intend to demonstrate by good evidence , taking my rise from this passage of the apostle , who reproving the corinthians for using prophane banquetings and feastings in a sacred place ; have ye not houses ( saith he ) to eat and drink in ? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; or despise you the chvrch of god ? here i take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or church , to note , not the assembly , but the place appointed for sacred duties , and that from the opposition thereof to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , their owne houses , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , have ye not houses to eat and drink in ? these are places proper for ordinary and common repast , and not the church or house of god : which is againe repeated in the last verse of that chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , if any man hunger , let him eat at home . thus most of the fathers tooke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this passage ; namely , as most of the words , signifying an assembly or company , are wont to be used also for the place thereof : as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , synagoga , collegium , &c. s t. austin is so plain , as nothing can be more . for concerning expressions , where the continent is called by the name of the thing contained , he instances in this of ecclesia : sicut ecclesia ( saith he ) dicitur locus , quo ecclesia congregatur . nam ecclesia homines sunt , de quibus dicitur : vt exhiberet sibi gloriosam ecclesiam . hanc tamen vocari etiam ipsam domum orationum , idem apostolus testis est , ubi ait ; nunquid domos non habetis ad manducandum & bibendum ? an ecclesiam dei contemnitis ? s t. basil hath the same notion in his moralia . reg. xxx . quòd non oportet * loca sacra , mistura eorum quae ad communem usum spectant , contumelia afficere . which he confirmes thus ; et intravit iesus in templum dei , & ejiciebat omnes ementes & vendentes in templo , & mensas numulariorum & cathedras vendentium columbas evertit , & dicit eis ; scriptum est , domus mea domus orationis vocabitur , vos autem fecistis eam speluncam latronum . et ad cor. 1. nunquid domos non habetis ad manducandum & bibendum ? aut ecclesiam dei contemnitis ? si quis esurit , domi manducet , ut non in judicium conveniatis . againe , in his regulae compendiosiùs explicatae , interog . & respons 310. answering that question , nunquid in communi domo sacra oblatio debeat celebrari : quemadmodum , saith he , verbum non permittit , ut vas ullum commune in sancta introferatur , eodem modo etiam vetat , sancta in domo communi celebrari : quum vetus testamentum nihil isto modo fieri permittat ; domino item dicente , plusquam templum est hic ; apostolo item , nunquid domos non habetis ad manducandum & bibendum ? &c. ex quibus erudimur , neque communem coenam in ecclesia edere & bibere , neque dominicam coenam in privata domo contumelia afficere : extra quam , si quis , cum necessitas poscat , locum domumve puriorem delegerit tempore opportuno . the author also of the commentaries upon the epistles , amongst the workes of s. hierom ( whosoever he were ) expounding ecclesiam dei contemnitis , by facientes eam triclinium epularum , shewes , he took ecclesia here to signifie the place . the self-same words are to be found in the commentaries of sedulius , as many other passages of this author verbatim ; which i note by the way . s t. chrysostome is of the same minde ; ecce quarta accusatio ( saith he ) quod non pauperes tantum , sed ecclesia laeditur . quemadmodum enim dominicam coenam privatam facis , ita & locvm , tanquam domo ecclesia usus . ecclesia therefore here with him is locus . and so it is with theodoret , who paraphraseth the words on this manner : si acceditis , ut lautè & opiparè epulemini , hoc facite in domibus hoc enim in ecclesia est contumelia , & aperta insolentia . quomodo enim non est absurdum , intus in templo dei , praesente domino qui communem nobis mensam apposuit ; vos quidem lautè vivere , eos autem qui sunt pauperes , esurire , & propter paupertatem erubescere ? theophylact and oecumenius follow the same track , as he that lookes them shall finde . i have produced thus largely the glosses of the fathers upon this text ; that they might be as a preparative to my ensuing discourse , by removing or mitigating , at the least , that prejudice which some have so deeply swallowed , of an utter unlikelihood of any such places to have been in the apostles times , or the times neere them . for if these glosses of the fathers be true , then were there places called ecclesiae , and consequently places appointed and set apart for christian assemblies to performe their solemne service to god in , even in the apostles times ; or suppose they be not true , or but doubtfull , and not necessary ; yet thus much will follow howsoever , that these fathers , who were neerer to those primitive times by above 1100. yeares then we are , & so had better meanes to know what they had or had not , than we , supposed there were such places , even in the apostles times . if in the apostles times , then no doubt in the ages next after them . and thus we shall gaine something by this text , whether we accept this notion of the word ecclesia , or not . having therefore gotten so good an entrance , we will now further enquire what maner of places they were , or may be supposed to have been , which were appropriated to such use ; and that done , proceed to shew by such testimonies or footsteps of antiquity , as time hath left unto us ; that there were such places through every age respectively , from the dayes of the apostles unto the raigne of constantine ; that is , in every of the first 3. hundred years ; for the first , it is not to be imagined they were * such goodly and stately structures as the church had after the empire became christian , and we now by gods blessing enjoy ; but such as the state and condition of the times would permit ; at the first , some capable and convenient room within the walls or dwelling of some pious disciple , dedicated by the religious bounty of the owner , to the use of the church , and that usually an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an upper room , such as the latins call coenaculum ; being , according to their manner of building , as the most large and capacious of any other , so likewise the most retired and freeest from disturbance , and next to heaven , as having no other roome above it . for such uppermost places we finde they were wont then to make choyce of , even for private devotions ; as may be gathered from what we reade of s. peter . acts 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; that hee went up to the house top to pray : for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies , exusu hellenistarum , and is accordingly here rendred by the vulgar latine , in superiora . such an hyperôon as we speake of , was that remēbred by the name of * coenaculum sion , where , after our saviour was ascended , the apostles & disciples ( as we reade in the acts ) assembled together daily for prayer and supplication ; and where being thus assembled , the holy ghost came downe upon them in cloven tongues of fire at the feast of pentecost . concerning which , there hath beene a tradition in the church ; that this was the same roome wherein our blessed saviour , the night before his passion , celebrated the passeover with his disciples , and instituted the mysticall supper of his body and blood , for the sacred rite of the gospell : the same place , where on the day of his resurrection he came , and stood in the middest of his disciples , the doores being shut ; and having shewed them his hands and his feet , said , peace be unto you , as my father hath sent me , so i send you , &c. iohn 20. the place where 8. dayes , or the sunday after , he appeared in the same manner again unto them being together , to satisfie the incredulity of thomas , who the first time was not with the rest : the place where iames the brother of our lord , was created by the apostles , bishop of ierusalē : the place where the 7. deacons ( whereof s. stephen was one ) were elected and ordained : the place where the apostles and elders of the church at ierusalem held that councell , and patterne of all councels , for decision of that question ; whether the gentiles w ch beleeved were to be circūcised or not . and for certain the place of this coenaculū was afterwards enclosed with a goodly church , known by the name of the chur : sion , upon the top whereof it stood : insomuch that s. hierome in his epitaphio paulae , made bold to apply that of the psalme unto it ; fundamenta ejus in montibus sanctis : diligit dominus portas sion super omnia tabernacula iacob . how soone this erection was made , i know not ; but i beleeve it was much more ancient than those other churches erected in other places of that city by constantine and his mother ; because neither eusebius , socrates , theodoret nor sozomen make any mention of the foundation thereof , as they doe of the rest . it is called by s. cyril , who was bishop of the place , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the upper church of the apostles ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( saith he ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the holy ghost descended upon the apostles in the likenesse of fiery tongues here in ierusalem in the vpper church of the apostles . cyril hierosol . cat. 16. if this tradition be true , it should seeme by it , that this coenaculum , from the time our blessed saviour first hallowed it by the institution and celebration of his mysticall supper , was thenceforth devoted to be a place of prayer & holy assēblies . and surely no ceremonies of dedication , no not of solomons temple it self , are comparable to those sacred guests whereby this place was sanctified . this is the more easie to be beleeved , if the house were the possession of some disciple at least , if not of kinred also to our saviour according to the flesh ; which both reason perswades , and tradition likewise confirmeth it to have been . and when we reade of those first beleevers , that such as had houses and lands sold them and brought the prices & laid them down at the apostles feet : it is nothing unlikely , but some likewise might give their house unto the apostles for the use of the church to perform sacred duties in . and thus perhaps should that tradition , whereof venerable bede tels us , be understood ; viz. that this church of sion was founded by the apostles : not , that they erected that structure , but that the place , from the time it was a coenaculum was by them dedicated to be an house of prayer . his words are these de locis sanctis . cap. 3. in tom 3. in superiori montis sion planicie , monachorum cellulae ecclesiam magnam circundant , illic , ut perhibent , ab apostolis fundatam ; eo quod ibi spiritvm sanctvm acceperint : in quâ etiam locvs coenae domini venerabilis ostenditur . and if this were so , why may i not think that this coenaculum sion was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , whereof we reade concerning the first christian society at ierusalem . acts. 2. 46. that they continued daily in the temple and breaking bread [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] in the house , ate their meat with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart ? the meaning being , that when they had performed their devotions daily in the temple , at the accustomed times of prayer there , they used to resort immediatly to this coenaculum , and there having celebrated the mysticall banquet of the holy eucharist , afterwards took their ordinary and necessary repast with gladnesse & singlenesse of heart . for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and not domatim , or per domos , house by house as we translate it ; and so both the syriack and arabick renders it , and the n. t. ( as we shall see hereafter ) elsewhere uses it . moreover we finde this coenaculū called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 2. ver . of this chap. and for the phrase of breaking of bread , we know that the same a little before in the 42. ver . is wont to be understood of the communion of the eucharist , and by the syriack interpreter is expresly rendred by the greek word , fractio eucharistiae , both there and again chap. 20. ver . 7. according to that of s. paul , the bread which we break , &c. why should it not then be so taken here ? if it be , then according to the interpretation we have given , this will also follow ; that that custome of the church , to participate the eucharist fasting and before dinner , had its beginning from the first constitution of the christian church : a thing not unworthy observation , if the interpretation be maintainable ; of which let the learned judge . it was an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or coenaculum also , where the disciples at troas came together upon the first day of the week to break bread , or to celebrate the holy eucharist . act 20. 7. where s. paul preached unto them , and whence eutychus , being overcome with sleep , sitting in a window fell down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , from the third story or loft , and was taken up dead . such a one seems also to have been the place of the churches assembly at caesarea cappadociae , by that which is said acts 18. 22. viz. that s. paul sailing from ephesus , landed at caesarea , where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , having gone up and saluted the church , he went down to antioch . note , he went up to salute : whereby it should seem , that the place where the church was assembled , was some upper place . see ludovic de dieu upon this place ; where he tels us , that the ethiopick translator so understood it , rendring , & descendit caesaream , & ascendit in domum christianorum ( .i. ecclesiam ) & salutavit eos , & abiit antiochiam . such as these , i suppose , were the places at first set apart for holy meetings , much like to our private chappels now in great mens houses , though not for so generall an use . in processe of time , as the multitude of beleevers encreased , some wealthy and devout christian gave his whole house or mansion place , either whilest he lived , if he could spare it , or bequeathed it at his death , unto the saints , to be set apart and accommodated for sacred assemblies , and religious uses . at length , as the multitude of beleevers still more increased , and the church grew more able ; they built them structures of purpose , partly in the coemiteries of martyrs , partly in other publique places : even as the iews ( whose religion was no more the empires than theirs ) had , neverthelesse , their synagogues in all cities and places where they lived among the gentiles . in the first centurie . this being premised , i proceed now ( as i promised ) to shew , that there were such places as i have described , appointed and set apart among christians for their religious assemblies and solemn addresse unto the divine majestie , through every one of the first three centuries particularly ; and that therefore they assembled not promiscuously , and at hap hazard , but in appropriate places ; unlesse necessity sometimes forced them to do otherwise . for the times of the apostles therefore , or first century in particular , which ends with the death of s. iohn the evangelist , i prove it , first , from the text i premised , where is a place mentioned by the name of ecclesia , not to be despised or prophaned with common banquettings : at least from the authority of the fathers , who by their so expounding it , give us to understand , they thought it not improbable , that there were such places in the apostles times . for the further strengthening of this kinde of argument , know also , that eusebius , in that discourse of his , where he endeavours to prove , that the essenes , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which philo describes , were the first christian society of the iewish nation at alexandria , converted by s. mark ; amongst other characteristical notes ( as he * cals them ) or badges of christianity ( however he were mistaken in his conclusion or inference ) alledges this for one of the first , that they had sacred houses , called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or worshipping places , that is , churches . his words are these . deinceps ubi eorum domicilia quaenam essent descripserat ( nempe philo ) de ecclesiis in vari●s locis extructis sic loquitur : est in quoque agro aedes sacra , quae appellatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in quo illi ab aliis a soli agentes , b sanctae religiosaeque vitae mysteria obeunt : c nihilque eò vel cibi , vel potionis , vel aliarum rerum , quae ad corporis usum necessariae sunt , important , d sed leges & oracula à prophetis divinitùs edita , & hymnos , aliaque quibus scientia & pietas erga deum crescat & perficiatur . afterwards reciting some other customes and particular observances of their discipline ; as their frequent assemblies in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to heare the scriptures read & interpreted ; the distinction of places for men and women ; their maner of singing hymnes and psalms by a praecentor , the rest answering , e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the extreams of the verses ; the degrees of their hierarchy , like those of deacons and bishops , and some other the like , he concludes ; quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : that philo wrote these things , as one having knowledge of the customes at the beginning delivered by the apostles , is manifest to any one . but whether that be so manifest or not , this i am sure is ; that eusebius beleeved the antiquity of churches or oratories of christians to have been from the apostles times ; yea , to have been an apostolicall ordinance , or else he mightily forgot himself , to bring that for an argument or badge to prove philo's essenes to be s. marks christians : then which otherwise there could not be a stronger argument to evince the contrary to what he intended . now who could know this better than eusebius , who had searched into and perused all the writings and monuments of christian antiquity then extant , for the compiling of his ecclesiasticall history , and his commentaries of the * acts of martyrs now perished ? adde to this , what i a little before observed out of bede , de locis sanctis ; of a tradition , that the church of sion was founded by the apostles . and so i leave my first argument . my next argument why may i not take from that singular character given to some one above other in the apostles salutatiōs , as their peculiar ? salute such a one , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the church at his house . as colos. 4. 15. of nymphas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , salute nymphas and the church at his house . to philemon also ; to philemon our deare brother and fellow labourer ( to appia our beloved , and archippus our fellow-souldier , ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and to the church at thy house . see , he forgets it not after a parenthesis , neither attributes it to archippus , but as proper to philemon alone . the like he hath of aquila and priscilla two severall times , once sending salutation to them , rom. 16. salute priscilla and aquila , and the church at their house ▪ again sending salutation from them , 1 cor. 16. 19. aquila and priscilla salute you much in the lord , with the church at their house . which i understand not , to be spoken of their families as it is cōmonly expounded , but of the congregation of the saints , there wont to assemble for the performance of divine duties ; that is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . whence ( if it be granted ) it will follow ; first , that the churches then , used to assemble , not in mutable and promiscuous , but in definite and appropriate places . secondly , that those who are here saluted with that appendix , were such as , in their severall cities , had bestowed & dedicated some part , or some place within their dwellings , to be an oratory for the church to assemble in , for the performance of divine duties according to the rule of the gospell ; nymphas at colosse , philemon at laodicea ( for there archippus , who is saluted with him , was bishop , saith * author constit . apost . as philemon himself was afterwards of the neighbouring city colosse : ) aquila and priscilla first at rome , till claudius banished thē with the rest of the iews from thence , acts 18. 2. afterwards at ephesus , ibid ver . 19. whence s. paul wrote that first epistle to the corinthians . i am not the first ( i think ) who have taken these words in such a sense . oecumenius in two or three of these places ( if i understand him ) goes the same way , though he mention the other exposition also : as to that of aquila and priscilla , rom. 16. his note is ; adeò virtute spectati erant , ut suam etiam domum ecclesiam fecerint . vel dicitur hoc , quia omnes domestici fideles erant , ut jam domus esset ecclesia . he mentions as i said both interpretations . so upon that of nymphas , col. 4. his words are , magni nominis hic vir erat , nam domum suam fecerat ecclesiam . and unlesse this be the meaning , why should this appendant be so singularly mentioned in the salutations of some , and not of others ? and that not once , but again , if the same names be again remembred , as of aquila and priscilla . had none in those catalogues of salutation , christian families , but some one only who is thus remembred ? it is very improbable , nay if we peruse them well , we shall finde they had , but otherwise expressed ; as in that prolix catalogue , rom. 16. wee finde aristobulus and narcissus saluted with their houshold , asyncritus , phlegon , &c. with the brethren which are with them ; others , with the saints which are with them . 2 tim. 4. 19. the houshold of onesiphorus . this therefore so singular an appendix must mean some singular thing , not common to them with the rest , but peculiar to them alone : and what should this be but what i have shewed ? now because this exposition concludes chiefly for a coenaculum devoted to be an house of prayer : let us see , if out of a pagan writer , who lived about the end of this centurie , we can learn what maner of ones they were . for * lucian in his dialogue philopatris , by way of derision ( sed ridentem dicere verum quid vetat ? ) brings in one critias , telling , how some christians went about to perswade him , to be of their religion ; and that they brought him to the place of their assembly , being an hyperôon , which he describes thus : pertransivimus ( saith he ) ferreas portas , & aerea limina ; multisque jam superatis scalis , in domum aurato fastigio insignem ascendimus , qualem homerus menalai fingit esse : atque ipse quidem omnia contemplabar , — video autem , non helenam , sed mehercle viros in faciem inclinatos & pallescentes . so he . my third proofe is from a tradition the church hath had , of the houses of some devout and pious christians , as afterwards ; so even in the apostles time , converted into churches or oratories ; as the house of theophilus , a potent man in antioch ( the same , as is supposed , to whom s. luke ( who was also an antiochean ) inscribes both his gospell and acts of the apostles ) who , being converted unto the faith by s. peter , converted his house into a church , where s. peter had his first see , or episcopall residence . this tradition is derived out of the recognitions of clemens , where it is first found . which , though it be an apocryphall writing , yet is of no small antiquity ; and this passage is of such a nature , as it cannot be well imagined , to what end it should be devised or fained . the like is reported of the house of pudens , a romane senatour and martyr , in the acta pudentis ; that it was turned into a church after his martyrdome . this is that pudens mentioned by the apostle in the 2. epist. to timothy , and coupled with linus : pudens and linus ( saith he ) salute you . all this comes not of nothing ; but surely argues some such custome to have been in those times . i will seale up all my proofes for this centurie of the apostles with one passage of clemens ( a man of the apostolicall age , in his genuine * epistle ad corinthios : debemus omnia rite & ordine facere , quaecunque nos dominus peragere jussit : praestitutis temporibus oblationes & liturgias obire . neque enim temere vel inordinatè voluit ista fieri , sed statutis temporibus & horis . vbi etiam , & a qvibvs peragi vult , ipse excellissima sua voluntate definivit ; ut religiosè omnia , secundùm beneplacitum ejus , adimpleta , voluntati ipsius accepta essent . here clemens saith expresly , that the lord had ordained ( even now in the gospell ) aswell appropriate places where , as appropriate times and persons ( that is priests ) when and whereby he would be solemnly served , that so all things might bee done religiously and in order . who then can beleeve , that in the apostles times ( when this clemens lived ) the places were not distinct for holy services , as well as the times and persons were ; or that clemens would have spoken in this maner , unlesse he had known it so to have been ? the corinthians , it seemes , in that their notorious sedition and discord , had violated this order ; at the correction whereof this passage aymeth . this one passage therefore makes all my former proofes credible , and may supply their defect , where they are not enough convictive . and it is the more precious , in regard of the penury of written monuments by any disciples of the apostles remaining unto us of that primitive age. if any man shall ask , where this divine ordinance , which clemens here mentioneth , is to be found ? i answer , in the analogy of the old testament ; whence this principle is taught us : that , as the divine majestie it self is most sacred and incommunicable , ( the reason why the worship and service given unto him must be communicated with no other ) so is it likewise a part of that honor we owe unto his most sacred , singular and incommunicable eminency , that the things wherewith he is served , should not be promiscuous and common , but appropriate and set apart to that end and purpose . and thus i conclude the first seculum . in the second centurie . now for the second , & that too for the beginning thereof , we have a witness not to be rejected , the holy martyr ignatius who suffered an. 107. & wrote the most of his epistles in his bonds . he in his confessed epistle ad magnesios speaks thus : omnes ad orandum in idem loci convenite , una sit communis precatio , una mens , una spes in charitate & fide inculpata in iesum christū : quo nihil praestantius est . omnes velut vnvs , ad templvm dei [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] concurrite , quemadmodum ad vnvm altare , ad vnvm iesum christum pontificē ingeniti dei. loe here a temple with an altar in it , whither the magnesians are exhorted to gather thēselves together to pray ; to come together in one place , that so they might all joyn together in one cōmon prayer , spirited with one intētion , with one & the same hope in the charity & faith they have to christ ward : secondly , to come thither as one , that is , in unity of affection and brotherly love one towards another , as if all were but one & not many , even as the altar , before which they presented themselves , was but one , and the high priest and mediatour between them and the father , iesus christ , but one. for it is to be observed that in those primitive times they had but one altar in a church , as a symbole , both that they worshipped but one god through one mediatour iesus christ , & also of the unity the church ought to have in it self : whence ignatius , not only here , but also in his epist to the philadelphians urges the unity of the altar for a monitive to the cōgregation to agree together in one . for vnum altare ( saith he ) omni ecclesiae , & unus episcopus cum presbyterio & diaconis conservis meis . this custom of one altar is stil retained by the greek church . the contrary use is a transgression of the latins , not only symbolically implying , but really introducing , ( as they handle it ) a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or multiplying of gods and mediatours , instead of that one god , and one mediatour between god and men , the man christ iesus . nay more than this : it should seem , that in those first times , before diocesses were divided into those lesser & subordinate churches , we now call parishes , & presbyters assigned to thē , they had not only one altar in one chur or dominicū , but one altar to a church , taking chu : for the cōpany or corporatiō of the faithfull , united under one bishop or pastor ; and that was in the city and place where the bishop had his see and residence : like as the iews had but one altar & tēple for the whole nation , united under one high priest. and yet , as the iews had their synagogues , so perhaps might they have more oratories than one , though their altar were but one , there namely where the bishop was . die solis , saith iust. mart. omniū , qui vel in oppidis vel ruri degunt , in eundē locu conventus fit ; namely , as he there tels us , to celebrate & participate the holy eucharist . why was this , but because they had not many places to celebrate in ? and unlesse this were so , whence came it else , that a schismatical bishop was said cōstituere or collocare aliud altare : & that a bishop & an altar are made correlatives . see s. cyprian ep 40 , 72 , 73. & de unitate ecclesiae . and thus perhaps is ignatius also to be understood in that fore-quoted passage of his : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vnū altare omni ecclesiae , & unus episcopus cum presbyterio & diaconis . howsoever , i here determine nothing , but refer it to the judgement of those who are better skilled in antiquity : only adding this , that if it were so , yet now that parishes are divided into severall presbyteries as their proper cures , every one of them being as it were , a little diocess , the reason and signification of unity is the same , to have but one altar in a parish church . to this testimony of ignatius of the use in his time , i will adde another of his , in his epistle ad antiochenos , where , in his salutes he speaketh thus : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i salute the keepers of the holy doores the deaconisses w ch are in christ : that is , the doores the womē entred in at . for so we may learn frō the compiler of the apostolicall cōstitutiōs , li. 2. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 al. 61. describing a ch : assembly : stent ostiarii , saith he , ad introitus virorum , illos custodientes ; diaconissae ad introitus foeminarum . but if they had in ignatius his time holy doores , ( or as some render it sacra vestibula ) who can beleeve also but they had holy houses ? this epistle indeed is none of the confessed ones . the title is accepted against ; as that ignatius wrote no epistle ad antiochenos , because eusebius , and after him s. hierom , when they rehearse his epistles , make no mention of any such . yet were the antiochians his flock , his pastorall charge . who would not then think it unlikely , that , amongst so many epistles written to other churches in his going that long journey from antioch to rome , to receive the crown of martyrdom ( yea to smyrna through which he had passed ) he should not remēber with one farewell epistle that church whereof he was bishop & pastor , as well as the rest ? thus much i dare say ; that this is as strong an argument every whit , to perswade that hee wrote such an epistle ( especially there being one extant under that title ) as eusebius his silence ( for s. hierom did but follow his steps ) is that he did not . for why should it be thought more necessary , that eusebius should have met with all the epistles of ignatius in the library of aelia or ierusalem ( whence he * professeth to have collected the whole matter of his history ) then he did with all the works and commentaries of some other ecclesiasticall men whom he mentioneth ; many of whose writings , besides those he rehearseth , he confesseth not to have come to his hands , or knowledge , either what , or how many they were ? see him hist. li. 5. c. a 26. & li. 6 c. b 10. this will be yet more considerable , if we remember , that some books , even of the canon of the n. test. were not known to some churches at the same time with the rest , and therefore a while doubted of , after they had notice of them . besides it is to be noted , that eusebius in expresse tearms undertakes only to recite those epistles of ignatius , which he wrote , as he passed thorow asia : but after his comming into europe ( whence those epistles are dated , which he mentions not ) whether any thing were written by him or not , he informs us nothing . nay , which is yet more ; vedelius grants the words and sentences of this epistle to be the most of them , by their style & character the words & sentences of ignatius ; but he would have them therefore to be taken out of some of his other epistles ; to wit , according to a new & strange cōceit of his , that the genuine epistles of ignatius have been robbed & guelded of much of their contēts , to make up more epistles under new titles . he excepts only in this epistle against the salutatiōs at the end thereof ; because there were not so many , or no such a church-offices in ignatius his time , as are there mentioned . but what is this else , but to beg the question ? till therefore some body shall not only affirm , but prove , there were no such , no not in the church of antioch ( b whence divers ecclesiasticall customes had their first beginning , which were afterwards imitated by the rest of the churches ) i can see no just cause hitherto , why i should not beleeve this passage , as well as the rest , & so the whole epistle to have had ignatius for its author . and so i leave it . for the middle of this seculū , or thereabouts , there are a extant two short epistles of pius the 1. bishop of rome to one iustus viennensis ; none of the decretals ( for they are indeed coūterfeit ) but others diverse from thē , which no man hath yet , that i know of , proved to be suppositious . in the first whereof there is mētion made of one euprepia , a pious and devout matron , who consigned the title of her house unto the church for the use of sacred assemblies . antequam roma exiisses , saith he , soror nostra euprepia ( sicut benè recordaris ) titulum domus suae pauperibus assignavit : ubi nunc cum pauperibus nostris commorantes , b missas agimus . he seems by pauperes , to note the clergy , which in his other epistle he cals senatus pauperum , salutat te senatus pauperum : otherwise the whole christian flock might be so called ; according to that in the gospell , pauperes euangelizantur . ( mat. 11. 5. luc. 7. 22. ) and that of esa. cap. 61. applyed by our saviour luc. 4. the lord hath annointed me to preach the gospell to the poore : & according to that in the parable luc. 14. 21. introduc pauperes , bring in hither the poore . perhaps in those perillous times , they were wont to make their donations of this kinde under such covert names . in his 2. epistle to the same iustus he mentions certain martyrs , who had then newly ( as he there speaks ) triūphed over the world : amōgst which he mentiōs one pastor , by office a presbyter ; who before his death , had erected or created a titulus , that is , a church , as that name is vulgarly known to signifie : presbyter pastor ( saith he ) titulum condidit , & digne in domino obiit . why the roman chu : called such places by the name of tituli , whether because by their dedication the name of christ our lord was , as it were , inscribed upon them , ( as the maner then was to set the names or titles of the owners upon their houses and possessions ; ) and so it would concurre in notion with those other names of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & basilica , the lords and the kings : or whether because they gave a title of cure or denomination to the presbyters , to whom they were committed ( for the chief or episcopall church i doubt whether it were so called or not ) let others determine . i shall not do amisse , i think , if i adde to this testimony a passage of theophilus antiochenus ( who lived at the same time ) which though , i grant to be indifferent to be otherwise understood ; yet seems very prone to be construed for our purpose : it is to be found in his second book ad autolycum ; where having compared the world to the sea , he follows the allegory thus ; quemadmodum ( saith he ) in mari insulae quaedam prominent habitabiles , frugiferae , & quibus est aqua salubris , necnon navalia , & portus commodi , quò se naufragi reciperent ; sic deus dedit mundo , qui peccatorum tempestatibus & naufragiis jactatur , synagogas , quas ecclesias sanct as nominamus . [ gr . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] in quibus veritatis doctrina fervet , ad quas confugiunt veritatis studiosi , quot quot salvari , deique judicium & iram evitare volunt . it is ambiguous what he means here by ecclesiae : but if it were probable , that synagoga were here taken , as it is usually in the n. t. for a place ; then might we determine , that ecclesia were so taken also , and not for a company or assembly only . well , howsoever ecclesia be taken in this passage ( which i reckon not upon ) yet thus much i am sure of , that toward the end of this century , it was used for a place of sacred assembly : witnesse clemens alexandr . ( who then lived ) lib. 7. strom where speaking of the church or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , saith he , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i call not now the place , but the congregation of the elect , ecclesia : whereby it appeares , that in his time ecclesia was used for the place of the assembly of the elect , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as he cals them , that is , of the saints , and not for the congregation only . for otherwise this caution needed not . and so himself uses it in that story of the yong man , whō s. iohn committed to a bishop of asia to be instructed and trained up in the christian piety and discipline , and who afterwards was by ill company withdrawn to lewd and debauched courses , and became captain of a band of robbers in the mountains . for there when s. iohn , after a time comming again to visit the churches , demanded of the bishop an account of the charge he had committed to him ; the bishop answers , he is become a villain and a robber , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and now instead of the church , he hath laid hold of a mountain , with a company like himself . to conclude , if the name were in clemens his time , undoubtedly the thing was . and this is my proofe for the latter end of this centurie . in the third centurie . now are we arrived at the third seculum , and the last under the ethnick and persecuting emperours : vvherein the testimonies of the christians oratories do abound , and are such as will out-face any that shall dare contradict them . for the beginning of this centurie , tertullian shall give in evidence . 1. in his book de idololatria . vvhere declaiming against some christian artificers , who , because it was their occupation and trade , thought it lawfull to make idols for the gentiles , so themselves worshipped them not ; he speaks thus : tota die , ad hanc partem zelus fidei perorabit , ingemens christianum ab idolis in ecclesiam venire , de adversaria officina in domvm dei venire ; attollere ad deum patrem manus matres idolorum , his manibus adorare , quae ( nempe in operibus suis ) foris ( .i. in templis gentium ) adversus deum adorantur ; eas manus admovere corpori domini , quae daemoniis corpora conferunt . mark here , domvs dei , & ecclesia expounded by it ; in ecclesiam venire , id est , in domum dei venire ; and both of them set in opposition to an idol-shop . of this domus dei or house of god , in his book adversus valentinianos , he describes unto us the form and posture , upon this occasion . he compares the valentinian heresie , in respect of their affected secresie , and reservednesse in hiding the mysteries of their doctrine , to the eleusinian holies , whose temple had many curtains and doores , through which those , that were to be initiated , were 5. years in passing , before they could be admitted unto the adytum or sacrarie , where the deity was : vvhereas contrariwise , he proveth out of scripture , the badge and genius of the religiō of christ , to consist in a dove-like simplicity and opennesse , and accordingly had its oratories or houses of worship , not like that of the eleusinian holies , concealed with multiplicity of walls , vails , turnings and windings , but agreeable to , and as it were figuring its disposition . for nostrae columbae domus ( saith he ) simplex , etiam in editis & apertis ; & ad lucem . amat figuram sp. sancti , orientem christi figuram : nihil veritas erubescit , &c .... nostrae columbae domus .i. domus religionis nostrae columbinae , or catholici christi gregis , qui columba figuratur ; namely , as he said a little before , christum columba demonstrare solitaest , serpens vero tentare ; meaning , as i suppose , not so much christ personall , as christ mysticall , that is , the disciples , or religion of christ. for it is the conclusion of his proofes brought out of scripture , to shew , that simplicity was the livery of christs disciples or religion ; in summa , saith he , christum columba demonstrare solita est , &c. and otherwise , that solita est would scarcely be true ; since christ personall is but once pointed out by a dove , namely , at his baptisme . this house , saith he , is simplex , that is , sine tot portarum & sipariorum involucris : also in editis & apertis , places which doves delight in : et ad lucem . i toward the place whence light springeth , or the sun-rising : for amat figuram sp. sancti . i. the dove , as also orientem christi , figuram : wherein he alludes to that oriens exalto , or day-spring from on high , in zacharies benedictus , and hath reference to the word , et ad lucem . i. ad locum vel plagam lucis . for , that the churches of christians anciently were turned toward the east , appeares by the author of the * apostolicall constitutions , which surely are as ancient as tertullian domus sit oblonga , ad orientem conversa , saith he ; besides it appeares out of a tertullian himself , that christians then worshipped towards the east , and therefore more than probable , their houses were sited and accommodated accordingly . thus i have done my best to cleare this passage , because the author is crabbed and obscure . there are two or three b more places in the same father , where the christian oratories are mentioned by the name of ecclesia : but because the ambiguous and indifferent signification of this word , either for a place or an assembly , makes them not convictive , unlesse some circumstance bee annexed , which determines it : i will only produce that de corona militis , chap. 3. where concerning the sacrament of baptisme he speaks thus : aquam adituri , ibidem , sed & aliquanto prius in ecclesia , sub antistitis manu contestamur , nos renunciare diabolo , & pompae & angelis ejus . dehinc ter mergitamur . i say ecclesia here signifies the place . for the clearing whereof , know , that the baptisteries , or places of water for baptisme , in those elder times , were not , as now our fonts are , within the church , but without , and often in places very remote from it . when therefore tertullian here saith ; that those , who were to be baptized , first made their abrenunciation in the church sub manu antistitis ( that is , as i suppose , the bishop or priest laying hands upon them , either in the mean time , or assoon as they had done ) and afterward again at the water : he must needs by ecclesia mean the place ; otherwise , if it were taken for the assembly of the faithfull , the church in that sense was present also at the water . but ecclesia here and the water are supposed to be two distinct places ; in both of which ( according to the rite of the african churches ) abrenunciation was to be performed : aquam adituri , ibidem ( .i. apud aquam ) sed & aliquando prius in ecclesia , contestamur , nos renunciare diabolo , &c. and thus much for the testimony of tertullian . my next witnesse is hippolytus , who flourished between the twentieth and thirtieth yeare of this century in the raign of alexander mammeae . he in his treatise de consummatione mundi seu de antichristo , describing the signes and impieties which should precede the persecution of antichrist ( as he conceived thereof , ) hath this passage concerning the irreligion and prophanenesse which should then raign : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , templa dei domorum communium instar erunt , ubique ecclesiarum eversiones fient , scripturae contemnentur . and in his description of the persecution it self , this : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iepa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. sacrae ecclesiarum aedes instar pomorum custodiae erunt , pretiosumque corpus & sanguis non extabit in diebus illis , liturgia extinguetur , psalmorum decantio cessabit , scripturarum recitatio non audietur . no man of reason can beleeve , but that he that speaks thus , knew and was well acquainted with such places in his own time ; though his description be of that which was to be in time to come . for it would be a marvellous conceit , to think he prophecied of them , having never seen them . nay , a prophane testimony will further confirm us , he needed not : for lampridius reports of this alexander mammeae ( in whose time hippolytus lived ) quòd cum christiani , quendam locum , qui publicus fuerat , occupassent ; contra popinarii dicerent sibi eum deberi : rescripsit imperator , melius esse , ut quomodocunque illic deus colatur , quàm popinariis dedatur . about the middle of this century flourished that famous gregorie of neocaesarea , surnamed thaumaturgus . he in his epistola canonica ( as the greeks call it ) describing the 5. degrees or admissions of poenitents , according to the discipline of his time ( which he cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( saith he ) est extra portam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , oratorii , ubi peccatorem stantem oportet fideles ingredientes orare , ut pro se precentur . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( .i. auditio ) est intra portam in loco qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur , ubi oportet eum qui peccavit stare usque ad catechumenos , & illinc egredi . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( .i. substratio ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n̄aoy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ut intra templi portam consistens cum catechumenis egrediatur . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( .i. congregatio , seu consistentia ) est ut cum fidelibus consistat , & cum catechumenis non egrediatur . postremo est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 participatio sacramentorum . who sees not here , that christians in his time had oratories or sacred houses to worship in , and those accommodated with distinct places of remoter and nearer admission ? nay further we finde in this gregories life written by gregorie nissen , that he was himself a great founder and erecter of these sacred edifices ; whereof the church built by him at neocaesarea in pontus , ( where he was bishop ) was still standing in gregorie nissens time . heare his words , where he relates the speedy and wonderfull successe this thaumaturgus had in the conversion of that city : cum omnibus omnia fieret , saith he , tantum sibi auxilio spiritus repente populū adjunxit , ut ad templi fabricationem animum adjiceret ( gr . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) cum omnes offerendo , tam pecunias quam operas suas , studium ejus adjuvarent . hoc est , templum , quod usque hodie ostenditur : quod magnus ille vir statim aggressus , quasi fundamentum atque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacerdotii sui ( .i. episcopatus ) in maxime conspicuo urbis loco constituit . he addes besides , that , whereas in his own time there had happened a most grievous earthquake ; quo omnia tàm publica quàm privata aedificia disjecta essent ; solum illud templum gregorianum illaesum & inconcussum mansisse . nor is this all ; he tels in the same place , how that a little before the persecution of decius ( which was anno christi 252. ) this thaumaturgus , having converted , not the city of neocaesarea only , but the whole territory adjoyning , to the faith of christ , [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the converts pulling down their idol-altars , and idol-temples , and in every place erecting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , oratorias in nomine christi aedes , stirred up the fury and indignation of the emperour . about the same time with this gregory , lived s. cyprian at carthage . in him i observe the christian oratories twice remembred ; once by the name of domnicum .i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; another time of ecclesia . the first in his book de opere & eleemosynis , speaking against communicating the holy eucharist without an offering . matrona , saith he , quae in ecclesia christi locuples & dives es , dominicum ( sacrificium ) celebrare te credis , quae corbonam omnino non respicis ? quae in dominicvm sine sacrificio venis , quae partem de sacrificio quod pauper obtulit , sumis ? the other in his 55. epist. or 3. ad cornelium ; where declaiming against some lapsed christians , who having in time of persecution sacrificed unto idols , would neverthelesse , without due penance and satisfaction , be admitted again into the church : if this be once permitted ( saith he ) quid superest quàm ut ecclesia capitolio cedat ; & recedentibus sacerdotibus ac domini nostri altare removentibus , in cleri nostri sacrum venerandumque consessum ( .i. in presbyterium , seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) simulacra atque idola cum aris suis transeant ? note , that ecclesia here and capitolium , christs house and iupiters temple , stand in opposition one to the other ; also that capitolium by antonomasia is put for a gentile temple in generall ; that in the one ( to wit , ecclesia ) was altare domini nostri , & sacer venerandusque consessus cleri ; in the other , idola & simulacra cum aris diaboli . contemporary with s. cyprian was that famed dionysius alexandrinus , made bishop somewhat before him , but out-lived him some 5. yeares , namely untill 265. there is an epistle of his extant ( which is part of the canon law of the greek church ) to one basilides , resolving certain quaeres of his ; amongst the rest , whether a woman during the time of her separation might enter into the church or not ; to which , his answer is negative . this quaere he expresseth thus ; de mulieribus quae sunt in abscessu , an eas sic affectas oporteat domvm dei ingredi , gr . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . by which , and his answer thereunto we learn not only , that the christians had then houses of worship , but a religious respect also to difference them from common places . and here , because the time fitly presents it in our way , take notice , for some reason that we shall heare of ere wee have done : that this of the christians having such houses for their devotions , was a thing publiquely known to the gentiles themselves , together with the name whereby they called them : as appears by two imperiall rescripts , the one of galienus about the yeare 260. recorded by eusebius . hist. lib. 7. cap. 12. which cals them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , worshipping places ; which having been a little before , in the persecution of valerianus his father , taken from the christians , and then in the hands of the gentiles , galienus graciously restored them unto them , with liberty freely to exercise their religion . the words of the rescript , so much of them as is needfull to our purpose , are these : imperator caesar , publius licinius , galienus , &c. dionysio , puniae , demetrio , & caeteris episcopis , salutem . meae munificentiae beneficium per universum divulgari orbem praecepi : vt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .i. à locis religionis cultui dicatis discedatur . et propterea vos mearum literarum exemplari uti poteritis , quo nemo deinceps vobis quicquam facessat molestiae , &c. the other is of aurelianus , de libris sibyllinis inspiciendis , when the marcomanni invaded the empire , anno ch. 271. recorded by vopiscus , in these words : miror vos , patres sancti ( he writes to the senate ) tamdiu de aperiendis sibyllinis dubitasse libris ; perinde quasi in christianorum ecclesia non in templo deorum omnium tractaretis ; that is , in the capitol , where the senate used sometimes to sit . adde to this , if you please , that which eusebius relates of this emperour , to wit , that when paulus samosatenus , being deposed by the councell from his bishoprick , and domnus chosen in his room , would not yeeld up the possession of the church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : the matter being brought before aurelianus the emperour , he decrees , that it should be given to those of the sect , unto whom the bishops of rome and italy should send letters of communion : sic demum paulus ( saith eusebius ) à seculari potestate , summo cum dedecore , ex ecclesia expellitur . for that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here meant the christians oratorie or house of sacred assembly at antioch , ( and not the bishops house , as some would have it ) appeares , both because eusebius elsewhere so uses it , as namely lib. 8. cap. ult . & lib. 9. cap. θ. as also , because he expounds himself presently by ecclesia , when he saith : sic paulus summo cum dedecore à potestate seculari , ex ecclesia exigitur . for surely he meant not , that he was by the secular arme cast out of the church , as chu●ch is taken for the company of the faithfull , but as it signifies the place of sacred assembly , where this paulus kept possession , after he was deposed for heresie by the councell . but what need we trouble our selves thus to gather up testimonies for the latter half of this seculum ? i have one testimony behinde , which will dispatch it all at once , yea , and if need be , depose for the whole also . it is that of eusebius in his eighth book hist. eccl. in the beginning : where describing those peacefull and halcyonian dayes , which the church enjoyed for many yeares , from the time of the martyrdome of s. cyprian unto that most direfull persecution of diocletian , and how wonderfully the number of christians was advanced during that time , he speaketh on this manner : quomodo quisquam infinita illos hominum turbâ frequentatos conventus coetuūque in singulis urbibus congregatorum multitudinem , illustresque in * oratoriis concursus describere valeat ? quorum causa , quum in a antiqvis illis aedificiis satis amplius loci non haberent ( vel antiquis illis aedificiis haudquaquam amplius contenti ) b amplas spatiosasque in omnibus urbibus ex fundamentis erexerunt ecclesias . loe here , how in those halcyonian dayes , christians had not only churches or houses of worship , but such as might then be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ancient aedifices ; which how far it may reach , let others judge : secondly , that the number of christians being grown so great , that those ancient fabricks were no longer sufficient to contain them , they erected new and more spacious ones in every city from the foundations : and all this testified by one that himself lived and saw part of those times . these sacred aedifices , diocletian , and those other surrogated emperours , ( which contained that direfull ten yeares persecution begun by him ) commanded by their edicts to be every where demolished , as we may reade in the same eusebius at large . the like whereunto seems never to have happened in any of the former persecutions ; in which they were only taken from the christians ; but again , when the persecution ceased , for the most part restored unto them : as in the former persecution they were by galienus , under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and thus i think i have proved , by good and sufficient testimonies , that christians had oratories or churches , that is , appropriate places for christian worship in every of the first 300. yeares : i am well assured ( whosoever be iudge ) long before the dayes of constantine . i will adde to these authorities two or three reasons , why they must , in all likelihood , have had such places ; first , because it is certain , that in their sacred assemblies they used then to worship and pray towards the east : which how it could be done with any order and conveniencie , is not easie to be conceived ; unlesse we suppose the places wherein they worshipped to have been situated and accommodated accordingly ; that is , chosen and appointed to that end . secondly , because of their discipline , which required distinct and regular places in their assemblies , for the poenitentes , auditores , catechumeni , & fideles , and therefore argueth they met not in every place promiscuously , but in places already fitted & accommodated for that purpose . lastly , because they had before their eyes an example and pattern in the proseuchais and synagogues of the iews , from whom their religion had its beginning ; which though as contrary to the religion of the empire as theirs , yet had places appropriate for the exercise therof , wheresoever they lived dispersed amōg the gentiles . who can beleeve , that such a pattern should not invite the christians to an imitation of the same , though we should suppose , there were no other reasons to induce them , but that of ordinary conveniencie . ansvver to the obiections . i come now to answer the objections brought by such as maintain the contrary opinion , which are two . first , say they , it is not likely , no not possible , they should have any such places living under a pagan and persecuting state and empire . i answer : this objection is already confuted by matter of fact . for it is to be noted , that the greatest and most cruell persecutions , and the 5. last of the ten , fall with in the third or last centurie . in which , that christians had oratories or houses of christian worship , we have before proved by most indubitate and irrefragable testimonies : but if in this , why not aswell in the former ages , wherein the persecutions were , as no more in number , so far lesse bitter ? for it is to be taken notice of , that these persecutions were not continuall , but as it were by fits , and those of the 2. first centuries of no long durance : so as the churches enjoyed long times of peace and quietnesse between them . besides , why should it seem to any one lesse credible , that christians should have their oratories or houses of worship under the romane empire , whilest the state thereof was yet gentile and opposite to the faith of christ ; then that they had them in the kingdome of persia , which never was christian ? for , that they had them there as old as the dayes of constantine , sozomen testifieth , lib. 2. c. 8. the occasion of the demolishing whereof by k. isdigerdes , and of that most barbarous persecution of the christians of those countries for 30. yeares together , about the yeare 400. theodoret relates lib. 5. cap. 38. namely , that one audas , out of an indiscreet and unseasonable zeale , ( though otherwise a vertuous and godly bishop ) having demolished the persians pyraeum , or temple where the fire was worshipped , and refusing to build it up again , as was enjoyned him ; the king thereupon mightily enraged , caused all the christians oratories or churches in his dominions to be demolished likewise , and that horrible persecution before mentioned , to storm against them . could the christians finde means and opportunity to erect churches , that is , houses for their religion under a pagan government in persia , and could they not under the romane empire ? the other objection is from the authors of apologies against the gentiles , origen against celsus , minutius felix , arnobius , and lactantius , who when the gentiles object atheisme to the christians , as having no templa , no arae , no simulacra ; these authors are so far from pleading they had any such , that they answer by way of concession , not only granting they had none , but ( which is more ) affirming , they ought not to have , and condemning the gentiles which had . celsus , saith origen , ait nos ararū , & statuarū , templorūque fundationes fugere : origen denies it not , but gives the reason : templorum fundationes fugimus , quia ubi per iesu doctrinam comperimus , quemadmodum colendus sit deus ; ea nos evitamus , quae sub pietatis praetextu & opinione quadam impios reddant , qui à vero per iesum cultu aberrando falluntur , qui utique solus est vericultus via , vereque illud profatur , ego sum via , veritas , & vita . minutius felix when caecilius objects , cur occultare & abscondere , quicquid illud quod colunt magnopere nituntur .... cur nullas aras habent ? templa nulla ? nulla not a simulacra ? ..... nisi illud quod colunt & interprimunt aut puniendum est , aut pudendum ; brings in his octavius answering thus : putatis autem nos occultare quod colimus , si delubra & aras non habemus ? quod enim simulacrum deo fingam , cum sirectè existimes , sit dei homo ipse simulacrum ? templum quod ei extruam , cum totus hic mundus , ejus operâ fabricatus , eum capere non possit ? & cum homo laxiùs maneam , intra unam aediculam vim tantae majestatis includam ? nonne melius in nostra dedicandus est mente ? in nostro imò consecrandus est pectore ? arnobius in hâc consuestis parte crimen nobis maximum impietatis affigere , quod neque aedes sacras venerationis ad officia extruamus , non deorum alicujus simulacrum constituamus aut formam , non altaria fabricemus , non aras. he denies none of this , but answers : templa quaerimus in deorum quos usus ? aut in cujus rei necessitatem , aut dicitis esse constructa , aut esse rursus aedificanda censetis ? &c ..... lactantius condemns the gentiles for having them : cur , inquit , oculos in coelum non tollitis ? & , advocatis deorum nominibus , in aperto sacrificia celebratis ? cur ad parietes & ligna & lapides potissimum , quàm illò spectatis , ubi deos esse creditis ? quid sibi templa ? quid arae volunt ? quid deniq , ipsa simulacra ? who would now think , that christians had any churches or houses of worship in these authors dayes ? this objection indeed looks very big at the first sight , but it is no more but a shew , and we shall deale well enough with it . for we are to take notice , that these authors all foure of them lived and wrote within , and after the third seculum was begun , and the eldest of them minutius felix after tertullian ; origin after him : yea , why do i say , after the third seculum was begun , or within it ? when as 2. of them , arnobius and lactantius , lived and wrote rather after it was ended , and in the beginning of the fourth ; arnobius in the time of the persecution of diocletian , lactantius somewhat after him : for he was his scholler and dedicates his institutions adversus gentes , to constantine the great . now then remember , what authorities and testimonies were even now produced for the christians oratories all that seculū throughout , not probabilities only , but such as are altogether irrefragable and past contradiction . this they seem not to have considered , unlesse they dissembled it , who so securely urge these passages , to infer a conclusion point-blanck against evidence of fact. as for example ( i will alledge no more , but what is out of possibility to be denyed or eluded . ) had the christians no oratories or churches in gregory thaumaturgus his time ? had they none in s. cyprians ? had they none in the dayes of dionysius alexandrinus ? had they none , when galienus released their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ? had they none in those halcyonian dayes whereof eusebius speaks , when the multitude of christians was grown so great , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the ancient aedifices were no longer able to contain their assemblies ; but that they were fain to build new and spacious churches in every city from the foundations ? had they none , when the edict of diocletian came forth for demolishing them ? for all these were before , that either arnobius or lactantius wrote . let those therefore , who put so much confidence in these passages , tell us , before they conclude , how to untie this knott , and then they shall say something . what then , will you say , is the meaning of these passages , and how may they be satisfied , and this scruple taken off ? i answer : the gentiles in these objections had a peculiar notion of what they called a temple , and these fathers and authors , in their disputes with them , answer them according unto it . for they defined a temple by an idoll and the inclosure of a deity ; not of the statue or image only , but of the daemon himself : that is , they supposed their gods by the power of spels and magicall consecrations , to be retained and shut up in their temples , as birds in a cage , or the devill within a circle ; that so their suppliants might know where to have them , when they had occasion to seek unto them ; and that , for such retaining or circumscribing of them in a certain place , an idoll was necessary , as the center of their collocation . thus much origen himself will inform us in those his disputes against celsus , as in his 3. book pag. 135. editionis graecolat ; where he describes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , temples and idols to be places where daemons are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , enthroned or seated , either having praeoccupied such places of themselves , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or brought thither by certaine ceremonies and magicall invocations , do as it were dwell there . and againe , lib. 7. pag. 385. in fin . telling us , that daemons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , set in those kinde of formes and places , ( viz. idols and temples ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. & either lodged and confined thither by magicall consecrations , or otherwise having praeoccupied the places of themselves ; where they are delightfully fed and refreshed ( for so the gentiles thought ) with the nidor and savour of the sacrifices . i shall not need to produce the rest of his sayings to the same purpose ; let him that will , consult him further in the end of that 7. book pag. 389. and a little before p. 387. in fine . to this confining of gods in temples ( that so those that had occasion to use their help might not be to seek , but know where to finde them ; ) that also of menander cited by iustin martyr , in his de monarchia dei , hath reference . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( saith he ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . no god pleaseth me that gads abroad , none that leaves his house shal come in my book , — a just and good god ought to tarry at home to save those that placed him . according to this notion of a temple , these authors alledged grant , that christians , neither had any temples , no nor ought to have ; forasmuch as the god whom they worshipped , was such a one as filled the heaven & the earth , and dwelt not in temples made with hands . and because the gentiles appropriated the name of a temple to this notion of encloistering a deity by an idoll ; therefore the christians of those first ages , for the most part , abstained therefrom , especially when they had to deale with gentiles ; calling their houses of worship ecclesiae , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( whence is the dutch and our english kurk and church ) in latine dominica ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , oratories , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or the like : seldome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or templa ; that appellation being grown , by the use of both sides , into a name of distinction of the houses of gentile superstition from those of christian worship . which that i affirm , not upon bare conjecture , these examples will make manifest . first that of aurelian the emperour , before alledged , in his epistle to the senate , de libris sibyllinis inspiciendis : miror vos , patres sancti , tamdiu de aperiendis sibyllinis dubitasse libris , perinde quasi in christianorum ecclesia , non in templo deorum omnium tractaretis . and that of zeno veronensis in his sermon de continentia : proponimus itaque , ut saepe contingit , in unum sibi convenire diversae religionis diem , quo tibi ecclesia , illis adeunda sint templa . ( he speaks of a christian woman maried to a gentile . ) that also of s. hierom in his epistle ad riparium , saying of iulian the apostate , quod sanctorum basilicas , aut de struxerit , aut in templa converterit . thus they spake , when they would distinguish : otherwise , now and then , the christian fathers use the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or templum , for ecclesia ; but respecting the temple of the true god at ierusalem , not the notion of the gentiles . that this answer is true and genuine , i prove , first , because the gentiles themselves , who objected this want to the christians , neither were , nor could be ignorant , that they had oratories where they performed their christian service , when they were so notoriously known ( as we saw before ) to the emperours galienus and aurelian ; and a controversie about one of them referred unto the latter ; when also the emperours edicts flew about in every city for demolishing them . why therefore do they object in this maner , but because , for the defect of something they thought thereto necessary , they esteemed not those oratories for temples ? secondly , because in that dispute between origen & celsus , it is supposed by both , that the persians and iews were , as concerning this matter , in like cōdition with the christians ; neither of both induring to worship their gods in temples . heare origen speak , lib. 7. p. 385 , 386. licet scythae , afrique numidae , & impii seres aliaeque gentes , ut celsus ait .... atque etiam persae aversentur templa , aras , statvas , non eandem aversandi causam , esse illis & nobis : and a little after ; inter abhorrentes à statuarum , templorum , ararum ceremoniis , scythae , numidae , impiique seres & persae , aliis moventur rationibus , quàm christiani & iudaei , quibus religio est sic numen colere . illarum enim gentium , nemo ab his alienus est .... quod intelligat , daemonas devinctos haerere certis locis & statvis , sive incantatos quibusdā magicis carminibus , sive aliàs incubantes locis semel praeoccupatis , ubi lurconum more se oblectant victimarum nidoribus ..... caeterum , christiani homines , & iudaei , sibi temperant ab his , propter illud legis ; dominum deum tuum timebis , & ipsi soli servies : item propter illud ; non erunt tibi alieni diipraeter me , & , non facies tibi ipsi simulacrum , &c. loe here , it is all one with origen to have templa , as it was to worship a other gods : as it was a little before with minutius felix his octavius ( if you mark it ) to have delubra & simulacra . yet certain , neither celsus nor origen , whatsoever they here say of the persians and iews , were ignorant , that the persians had their b pyraea or pyrathaea ( houses where the fire was worshipped ) though without images or statues : also , that the iews had both then , & also formerly , their synagogues and proseuchae , in the places and countries where they were dispersed ; and once a most glorious & magnificent tēple or sanctuary : ergo , by temples they understand not houses of prayer & religious rites in the generall ; c but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , places where daemons were incloistered by the position of an idol , or cōsecrated statue . and here let me adde ( because it is not impertinent ) what i have observed in reading the itinerarium of benjamin tudelensis the iew ; namely , that he expresses cōstantly after this maner , the oratories of iews , turks , & christians by differing names : those of the iews he cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .i. houses of assembly , or synagogues : the turkish mosquees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 houses of prayer ; but the christian churches , because of images ( yea that renowned church of s. sophie it self ) he called alwayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bamoth , the name of the idol-temples in the old testament , which we translate high places . this i note for an example of that pronenesse in religions of a contrary rite , thus to distinguish , as other things , so their places of worship by diversity of names , though they communicate in the same common nature and use . thirdly , that the answer i have given to these objected passages is genuine , i prove ; because some of these authors acknowledge elsewhere , that christians had houses of sacred worship in their time : as namely arnobius ( whose words were as pressing as any of the rest , yet ) in the self same books acknowledges the christians oratories by the name of conventicula , or meeting places ; by that name indeavouring i suppose , to expresse the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the place is about the end of his 4. book adversùs gentes : quòd si haberet vos ( saith he ) aliqua vestris pro religionibus indignatio , has potiùs literas ( he meanes the poets absurd & blasphemous fictions & tales of their gods ) hos exurere debuistis olim libros ; istos demoliri , dissolvere theatra haec potiùs , in quibus infamiae numinū propudiosis quotidie publicātur in fabulis ( of this their scurrilous dishonouring of their gods upō the stage he had spoken much before ) nam nostra quidē scripta , cur ignibus meruerint dari ? cur immaniter conventicvla dirui ? in quibus * summus orator deus , pax cunctis & venia postulatur , magistratibus , exercitibus , regibus , familiaribus , inimicis , adhuc vitam degentibus , & resolutis corporum vinctione , &c. he alludes unto the burning of the books of scripture and demolition of the christians oratories by diocletian ; of which see eusebius , lib. 8. cap. 3. and know from hence when arnobius wrote . nay origen himself , one of the first brought to depose against us , ( if rufinus his translator , deserve any credit ) will in his homily upon the 9. chap. of iosua testifie both for churches and altars among christians in his time . for , thus he allegorizeth there the story of the gibeonites , whose lives iosua & the flders spared , but gave them no better entertainmēt , than to be hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation , and for the altar of the lord. sunt quidam in ecclesia ( saith he ) credentes quidem , & habentes fidem in deum , & acquiescentes in omnibus divinis praeceptis , quique etiam erga servos dei religiosi sunt & servire eis cupiunt ; sed & ad ornatū ecclesiae vel ministerium satis prompti paratique sunt : in actibus verò suis , & conversatione propria , obscoenitatibꝰ & vitiis involuti , nec omnino deponentes veteremhominem cum actibus suis , sed involuti vetustis vitiis & obscoenitatibus suis , sicut & isti ( .i. gabeonitae ) pannis & calceamentis veteribus obtecti ; praeter hoc , quod in deum credunt , & erga servos dei , vel ecclesiae cultum ( .i. ornatum ) videntur esse devoti , nihil adhibent emendationis vel innovationis in mores , &c ..... and a little after : veruntamen sciendum est , quantum ex hujuscemodi figurarū adumbrationibus edocemur , quòd si qui tales sunt in nobis , quorum fides hoc tantūmodo habet , ut ad ecclesiam veniāt , & inclinent caput suum sacerdotibus ( mark here a custome ) officia exhibeant , servos dei honorēt , ad ornatum quoque altaris vel ecclesiae aliquid conferant , non tamen adhibent studium , ut etiam mores suos excolant , actus emendent , vitia deponant , castitatem colant , iracundiam mitigent , avaritiam reprimant : ..... sciant , sibi , qui tales sunt , qui emendare se nolunt , sed in his usque in senectutem ultimam per severant , partem , sorténque ab iesu domino cum gabeonitis esse tribuendam . thus origen by his interpreter . and if any where rufinus may be trusted , sure he may in this , forasmuch as in his peroration in epist. ad romanos , he hath given us his word , that in his translation of this and the next book , he took not his wonted liberty , to insert or alter any thing , but simply expressed every thing , as he found it . heare his words . illa ( saith he ) quae in iesu nava & in iudicum librum & in 36 , 37 , & 38. psal. scripsimus , simpliciter expressimus ut invenimus , & non multo cum labore transtulimus . vide locum & erasmi censuram . lib. origen . besides , he that but considers the matter , together with the brevity of this homily , cannot see a possibility , how these passages can be an addition or supplement of the translators , unlesse he made the whole homily : because the contents of them are the onely argument thereof , and being taken from it , nothing would be remaining . lastly , because the fore-alledged words of lactantius are so usually brought against us , though they be nothing urgent , and his time be altogether repugnant to any such inference : yet absolutely to take away all scruple , let us heare him also , instit. lib. 5. c. 2. expresly giving evidence for us , and that even by the name of templum . ego ( saith he ) cum in bithynia literas oratorias accitus docerem ; contigissétque eodem tempore , ut dei templum everteretur : duo extiterunt ibidem , qui jacenti atque abjectae veitati ( the christian verity ) nescio , utrum superbiùs an importuniùs , insultârunt . see the rest which follows . this was when the edict of diocletian came forth for the demolishing of the christians churches . and thus , having removed that stumbling stone , which hath been the main inducement to the contrary opinion , so prejudicial to those works of religious bounty and piety : i hope my proofes will finde the freer passage with those of understanding and judgement ; to whose pious consideration i have devoted this my discourse . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a07381-e350 * ioseph . vice. com . de antiquis missae ritibus . vol. 3. l. 2. c. 21. quaest. 57. sup . levit . * gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * isidorus pelusiota . lib. 2. epist. 246. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where note , that of two expressions of this in the same place , the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the printed copie are deficient in the first of them ; but to be supplyed out of this , the second , or repetition of the same thing , as the reader that considers it , will observe the antithesis requires . * coenacula dicuntur , ad quae ●calis ascenditur . fest. inde ennio coenacula maxima coeli . for these traditiōs , see adricenius ex nicephor . &c. and bede infra , de locis sanct . epist. 27. apud homerum passim . hist. eccl. lib. 2. cap. 16. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . c n. b. d he meanes the bookes of the law , the prophets , and psalmes , and like things of sacred use . e author const. ap. vocat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 2. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . al. 61. alius david hymnos cana & populus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , idest , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , extremitates versuum ; non versuum initia , ut malè intepres bovius . * he mentions it hist. eccl. li. 5. cap. 1. * lib. 7. c. penul . * or whosoever else were the author thereof under trajan , whose then fresh successe in subduing the parthians and arabians ( contrary to the unlucky presages of some ) his scope seemes to have been to gratulate . see iacobus micyllus in argumento . * pag. 52. vid. graec. ab an. 100. ad 200. * lib. 6. c. 14 al. 21. vid. graec. a in graeco 27. b in graeco 12. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vid. epiplaen . exposit. fidei cathol . c. 21. de duobus ultimis , const. apost . l. 8. cap. 24 , 26. b see act. 11. 26. socr. lib. 6. c. 8. theod. lib. 2. c. 24. a in tom. 1. biblioth . patris edit . pariscens . ex archivo viennensi . b the word missa seem●s to have been long used in italy before it was elsewhere . clem , alex in opere , quis sit ille dives , qui salvetur , apud euseb. hist. ecc. lib. 3. cap. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also in this century undoubtedly were extant those fabricks in the coemiteries of s. peter , in the vaticane , and of s. paul in via ostiensi ( which could be no other then some christian oratories ) whereof gaius speakes , in euseb. & cals tropaea apostolorum . lib. 2. cap. 24. ab anno 200. ad 300. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cyril . hier. * lib. 2. cap. 57. al. 61. a apol. cap. 16. b de spect. cap. 25. ad vxor : lib. 2. c. 9. de coron . milit . c. 3. de velandis virginibus . cap. 3. & 13. * ex psal. 79. 2. & caeteris similibus juxta lxx . cap. 49. he was made bishop , anno 249. lived untill 260. viz. cypr. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .... wheresoever ten men of israel were , there ought to be built a synagogue . maimon . in tephilla . cap. 11. §. 1. object . 1. object . 2. institut . adversus gentes . lib. 2. cap. 2. according to this notion of templum , tertul . c. 15. de idololatria . si templis renunciasti , neseceris templum janu●● tuam . et de corona mil. excubabit ( nempe ) christianus ) pro templis quibus renunciavit ? & coenabit illic ubi apostolo non placet ? id est , in idolaeo . 1 cor. cap. 8. 10. a so with tertullian in the places before alledged in the margin renunciasse templis dicitur qui idolis . b s●rabo ●● . 15. in append ad herodot . theod. li. 5. c. 38. yea ●e de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nanea in elyma de perfidis . 1 mac. 6. 2. 2 mac. c. 1. ver . 13. c i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * liturgiae christianae discriptio . an account of the churches, or places of assembly, of the primitive christians from the churches of tyre, jerusalem, and constantinople described by eusebius : and ocular observations of several very ancient edifices of churches yet extant in those parts : with a seasonable application / by sir george wheler ... wheler, george, sir, 1650-1723. 1689 approx. 128 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 75 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2007-01 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a65619 wing w1606 estc r34742 14580884 ocm 14580884 102660 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a65619) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 102660) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1081:1) an account of the churches, or places of assembly, of the primitive christians from the churches of tyre, jerusalem, and constantinople described by eusebius : and ocular observations of several very ancient edifices of churches yet extant in those parts : with a seasonable application / by sir george wheler ... wheler, george, sir, 1650-1723. eusebius, of caesarea, bishop of caesarea, ca. 260-ca. 340. [6], 130 p., [5] leaves of plates : ill. printed by s. roycroft for r. clavell ..., london : 1689. reproduction of original in the huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng church architecture. church buildings. 2005-11 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-11 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2006-07 ali jakobson sampled and proofread 2006-07 ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-09 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an account of the churches , or places of assembly , of the primitive christians ; from the churches of tyre , jerusalem , and constantinople . described by evsebivs . and ocular observations of several very ancient edifices of churches yet extant in those parts . with a seasonable application . by sir george wheler , preb. of durham . london , printed by s. roycroft , for r. clavell at the peacock , at the west-end of s. pauls , 1689. to the reverend dr. george hicks , dean of worcester . dear and honoured sir , i send you this to express my hearty wishes , that you may enjoy a happy christmass and new-year . and also to let you know , that the kind letter you writ me long since ( wherein you desire me to consider the description of the church of tyre , of the holy sepulchre , and of the apostles at constantinople , mentioned and described by eusebius , in his ecclesiastical history , &c. ) came again lately to my hands , with some imperfect essays of schemes , that i then drew of those noble structures . these i have now again review'd and finished , and have added a short discourse to them , containing some general considerations on the ancient churches , or publick places of god's worship ; as an introduction to my observations on these magnificent structures . for the more clear illustration of all which , i have added a plane of the ancient greek church ; according to my own observations of several very ancient structures , with an explication of the use of each part : and then i may conclude with an application , relating to our own religious assemblies ; which may be useful to those who shall come to consider of proper mediums , to reconcile the small differences that are between the dissenters and vs , concerning these matters . for by these things , it is most manifest ; that the primitive christians did endeavour to perform the publick worship of god , with as great external reverence and magnificence , as possible ; joyned to the internal truth , fervency of spirit and mind . i wish you could have seen these papers before i publisht them ; either to alter , correct , or amend what you may find amiss , or less to the purpose . for you are a person upon whose judgment , i shall ever entirely rely ; knowing the great candour , perspicuity , learning and faithfulness of it . but since i cannot easily have that satisfaction , i shall present you with them as i may ; as a token of the great respect and value i have for you , upon many accounts ; especially the education i had under you , and the friendship you have ever expressed towards me . if it be a thing that may prove acceptable to you , and useful to the publick , as you intimate ; i shall be highly pleased with the vndertaking ; as i shall be always to shew the value i have for you , in any thing you recommend to my studies within the capacity of your most obedient pupil , most affectionate friend , and most humble servant , g. wheler . westm . dec. 20. 1688. errata . page 2. line 1. read acknowledged , p. 6. l. 1. mary's . p. 22. l. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , l. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 30. catechumenoi , p. 31. l. 17. bishops his , p. 32. marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ib 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 44. l. 10. capitels , p. 46. l. 10. as zozomen , p. 66. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 67. marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 74. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 75. marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 76. penult . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 86. l. 12. vessels , p. 89. marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , p. 97. antepenult . fronte , p. 119. l. 12. dele to . these are the most material errors , that i have observed to escape the printers and correctors notice . chap. i. concerning the primitive churches , or places of god's worship . the introduction . to give a just account of the publick places of god's worship in the christian church , it will be fit to begin our observations from the practice of the first author and ministers of christianity . for thô it be manifest , that god is omnipresent , and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him ; because he contains both them and the infinite abyss of space ; yet , that he appointed the separation and consecration of a peculiar place , to place his name there ; to be worshipped and glorified therein , by those that acknowledged his infinite power and authority over them , is so manifest , that it needs not to be more than mentioned . that this in the time of their travel to their promised country , and whilst their unsettled state of warfare lasted , was like themselves , moveable and unfixt also . but so soon as they were arrived to a settled state , and to the glory and happiness of the highest pitch of empire , they began immediately to resolve , to give all possible glory to god , by establishing the place of his publick worship with the greatest magnificence they were able . this david made the subject of his zeal and vows , and his son solomon , whom he made sole successor to his throne and piety , accomplished it . when again this most glorious edifice suffered destruction and desolation in the punishment of the king and people for their sins , it was again rebuilt by prophesy , and was honoured with the glory and presence of the eternal high-priest himself . who always performed his publick and stated devotions to his father and our father , to his god and our god , there . and when at last he had offered up the only true and real propitiatory sacrifice of himself , and was entred into the real holy of holies , with his own blood , ever to make intercession for us ; those that he left to be his successors in the ministry of holy things , did not desist from doing their devotions there , so long as it and they continued on earth . besides this , it is observable , that our saviour and his apostles never forsook the synagogues , but ever joyned in the external worship of god , doctrine and discipline of their country , and as oft as occasion offered , taught the people there . and when afterward ( by god's appointment and the persecution of their own countrymen ) they were dispersed into all nations , they still repaired to the synagogues and oratories of the jews , and there first preached the gospel . and when they were no longer suffered to continue their assemblies with them , then only we find that they separated the brethren , and taught them in another place . indeed there is no doubt , but in such cases they still made provision for some other places , as those times and conveniency would permit . and that there they did their peculiar devotions as christians , to wit , the celebration of the lord's supper . for we read in the 2d of the acts , that they which believed were baptized , continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine , fellowship , breaking bread , and prayers . thô they continued daily in the temple with one accord , yet they brake bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , at home , or every one at his house ; or domatim in each others house by turns . but we find them soon in great assemblies , which must take up great and large places . for in the 4th of the acts , we find them return from the council to their own company ; which were assembled at a certain place , which was shaken upon their prayer , by the holy spirit of god. and in the 21st of the acts we find , that such places were capacious enough to receive the whole multitude , who ( as st peter tells st. paul ) must needs come together . their assemblies at troas seem to be at a stated place , as well as a stated time. this place was generally at the house of the chief and most pious of the faithful believers . as at james and mary's at jerusalem ; at the house of aquila and priscilla at philippia . so the church in nympha's house at colossea ; and in philemon's house : not that their family was the whole church of those places ; but that their houses were the stated places of the meeting of the congregation of that city . whether they set apart any particular part of those houses , to the worship of god and service of his church , the scripture is silent . thô the recording of christ's correction and correption for the prophanation of the temple ; his direction how men ought to approach to offer their gifts at god's altar ; and the apostles opposing the table of the lord and the altar they had , both to the jewish and gentil altars , doth strongly suppose , that they either had or should have such separate places ; when they were in circumstances to do it , where this table of the lord or christian altar was kept . st. paul is the most plain concerning the place in 1 cor. 11. where in the 18th verse he seems very plainly to have respect to the place . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , when ye come together in the church . for first otherwise , it would be a redundancy in words ; when you come together , would be enough ▪ and next he himself interprets that by the place , ver . 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , when ye come together therefore in one place , or rather in that , or the same place , with relation to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for so the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , therefore , doth joyn them . and in the 22th verse he opposeth private houses to the church of god which may most properly be interpreted of the place of the assembly ; because he there mentions the people assembled , or at least part of them in the same period . and so the opposition of private houses ( in which they had the liberty to eat and drink any thing at their pleasure , and not in the church or house of god ) is most clear and perspicuous . and thus it is most plain , that these places set apart for sacred use , ought not to be profaned by any vile or common use . what , have ye not houses to eat and to drink in ? or despise ye the church of god , and shame them that have not ? in the succeeding ages immediately after the gospel , there is nothing more plain , than that they had their certain , stated and appointed places to worship god in . s. clemens , who lived in the apostles time , and whose epistle to the corinthians was anciently read in the churches , as part of the scriptures , tells us plainly , that christ appointed both the times when , the persons by whom , and the places where god should be solemnly worshiped . lucian , thô a heathen , and what he writes is to expose christianity ; yet we are beholding to him for this , that he describes the christians met in an upper room , adorned and guilt with gold. justin martyr lived immediately succeeding these times : and he describes , great meetings in one place every sunday , from all the neighbouring countries to the great towns and cities ; which must needs suppose a known and usual place . it is evident , that as it was naturally necessary , that they must needs meet in some place , and that known ; so it cannot be doubted , but that they were as great , and as decent as their circumstances and the continual persecutions they were in would permit . for eusebius informs us , that in the beginning of the reign of the emperour dioclesian , that the concourse to the churches was so great , that in every city they were not content with their old edifices , but built new ones , and greater from the foundations . and the beginning of the persecution in this emperor's reign , entred with the destruction of their churches . but when constantine entred upon the government , they soon recovered themselves , and then it is hard to describe the glory , splendor , and magnificence , where with he caused the churches or houses of god to be rebuilt , endowed and adorned every where . eusebius gives us a specimen of some of them , which he doubts not to compare with the temple at jerusalem . at the dedication of that at tyre , he was present , and made an oration in praise of it and paulinus the bishop its founder ; and had the superintendency of the building of that over the holy sepulchre at jerusalem . of both which i shall draw you the most exact platform i can , both from those lines he hath left us , and what by others i have observed . chap. ii. the description of the church of tyre , described by eusebius , lib. 10. cap. 4. the plane of the church of tyre . and the glory of this latter house shall far exceed the former . therefore taking a far larger compass of ground , he walled it ; both to be the outward court encompassing the whole work , and to be its sure defence . then towards the sun-rising he raised a most magnificent porch or gate ; vastly great and high ; giving a prospect of those things within , to those who stand far off , without the sacred place , in the outward court : and not only to them , but also to those who were strangers to the faith. and at the first entrance cast their eyes upon it : insomuch , that if any one do but pass by in the street , he may be astonished both at the remembrance of the past ruin , and the glory of the present marvellous work ; and so he hoped to draw them to enter in , to see what is within by that glorious prospect from without . but when you are entred within these gates , our wise architect suffered not every one presently with unsanctified and unwashed feet , to rush in unto the holy things within : but leaving a large space , as between the first entrance and the temple , he enclosed and beautified it with a portico or cloyster on the four sides , supported with pillars in a quadrangular form . and the spaces between each pillar he fenced with lattice of wood , net-work fashion , of a moderate and convenient height . he left the middle space of this quadrangle open to the view of heaven , to let in the cool air , and to be adorned with the resplendent rays of the sun. in this he placed the sacred symbols of holy cleansing ; is e. two fountains opposite to each other , before the front of the temple ; whose copious sources yielded water plentifully for cleansing of those , who are to go further to the sacred things within . this is the first place , that presents it self to those that enter , every way most splendid and beautiful to behold . and is a proper mansion either to those that have need of institution or are admitted to prayers . being past this spectacle , by several other more inward portico's he made the entrances into the temple ; which again towards the sun-rising is by three doors on the same one side . of which that in the middle is by far the greatest both for height and widness , and adorned with brass plates , engraven with various figures , and bound on with iron ; to which the other two seem joyned as royal attendants . in like manner ordering the same number of porches to the cloysters , on each side of the whole temple , he contriv'd another on high above these ; with windows letting in much light into the temple , adorning them with lattice of curious work in various figures . but he built the royal house it self with far richer and more precious matter , sparing no cost nor magnificence . it seems superfluous to describe the length and breadth of the building , and this resplendent beauty and grandure , a sight beyond expression ; who can describe the dazling variety of each work , whose roofs mount up to heaven ; and upon all these the most precious cedars of libanus ? of which even the divine oracles have not been silent : in which it is said , the trees of the lord shall rejoyce , even the cedars of libanus , which he hath planted . to what purpose is it now to speak of the admirable art and most wise composure of the whole , and further to discourse of the surprizing convenience and beauty of each part : especially when ocular testimony excludes any thing that can be perceived by the ears ? furthermore , when he had thus finish'd the temple , and adorn'd it with thrones , which he erected in the highest or chiefest place in honour of the presidents , and also with lower seats , placed in decent order all over the temple . he at last placed the holy of holies , to wit , the altar , in the middle , which he made every way inaccessible to the multitude , by a separation of net-work of wood wrought and carved with such acurate skill and art , as makes as wonderful a spectacle as eyes can behold . nor did he neglect the floor , but adorn'd and paved it in a sumptuous manner with marble ; and then to conclude , returning to those things without the temple , he built large apartments and houses on each side of the temple , most excellently contrived ; joyned together at one end to the sides of the royal house , and to the entrances of the middle building or court on the other . which buildings our truly peaceful solomon , the founder of this temple , built for the sake of those who had need of expiation and purgation by water and the holy spirit . insomuch that , that heavenly prediction we formerly mentioned , subsists no longer in bare words , but now is verified and accomplished indeed . for now it is truly come to pass , that the glory of the latter house excels the former . chap. iii. observations on eusebius his description of the church of tyre . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. the outward court , in the midst of which the temple stood . this i suppose was square or oblong , according to the form of the rest of the temple . whether it was open or to shut , with an outward gate or gates joyned to the wall , eusebius does not mention ; but undoubtedly it was adorned with entrances proper to the place , and proportionable to the magnificence of so great a work ; and was either so low , or with such open work , as might give a prospect of the front to all that passed by it ; i. e. by the street or high-way ; as eusebius affirms , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . passing by the former entrances ; which the translator not observing seems to confound them with the magnificent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vestibulum or porch he speaks of . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. this undoubtedly was a great , high and magnificent building , and a considerable distance from the outward entrance ; because he saith expresly , that not only those that were standing afar off might by it behold what was within , but also those that cast but their eyes that way , as they run by the first entrances . so therefore i shall place it in the scheme or plane of it , i am to delineate . but with what kind or manner of architecture it was built , beautified and adorned , eusebius hath left scope for phantasie to work , but no pattern for the present describer to copy . but as to the situation it was towards the sun-rising , as i take it , to him going towards it . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . but taking a large space , as between the temple and first entrance . this again the translator does not express exactly as it should , but by missing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , renders the whole obscure , and seems to confound the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and this inward cloyster enclosed with a portico , as follows : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the perimeter of which he adorned transversis porticibus , i. e. ad se invicem transversis , with portico's built cross-ways to each other , so as to enclose the place in the form of a square . that is , this square court was enclosed at the four sides with covered walks , we call a cloyster . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , inter columnia , as the translator rightly translateth it ; i. e. the spaces between the pillars were enclosed with wood , of a proportionable height , wrought in the form of a net. that is , a kind of latice-work to look through into the court , to have a sight of what was there , without entring into the place . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. fountains opposite to each other towards the front of the temple . these i suppose were two fonts for baptism ; and were placed at each hand in the open court , enclosed with the cloyster , one on the right hand , and the other on the left ; as one went through the vestibulum into that court , towards the church or temple it self ; which must needs look very stately . there are two very fine fountains placed in this manner in the court before st. peter's church at rome . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pluribus aliis adhuc porticibus interioribus aditus ad templum fecit . he made the entrances into the temple with yet more inward porches . i suppose this cloyster met up to the front of the temple , which was adorn'd , beautified and enlarged with several other ranks of pillars between it and the doors of the temple . as that of sancta sophia at constantinople is ; and indeed every considerable church among the ancients had such a porch or pronaos , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . as that at corfu , built by the emperor jovian : that at troas , if it was a church , and at the covent of st. luke under the helicon , built by the emperor romanus . thô they seem to be much lesser than this of tyre , by eusebius's pompous description . this therefore as i have observed it in ancient buildings , i shall accommodate to eusebius his description . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. to this porch eusebius joyns three doors on the same side ; one great one in the middle , and two lesser on each hand . this exactly agrees with that great building at troy ; which has three great arches remaining at the front of the building . that in the middle is much bigger , than those that are on each hand . these three doors led into three divisions of the church , made by the two ranks of pillars , or four great supporters of the cupalo in the midst . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. if i understand this right , there were three cloysters , if not four to this temple ; one in the front , which he had before described , and two others , at each side of the temple one . which must needs make the whole very magnificent and glorious ; yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , seem to me more than on both sides of the temple . i should rather translate it , on each side of the whole temple . and then there must be also one at the east end ; and so the symetry is full . but this would make an extraordinary difference in the scheme from other churches , that are now extant . for if so , it might probably have four doors at east , west , north and south ; which none of those ancient churches , i ever saw yet extant , will permit me to be positive in . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. on high above these portico's he contrived several windows , to let in much light into the house , &c. this shews that these portico's were of a moderate height ; so that windows might be made above them , and also that they were on one side contiguous to the sides of the temple . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. ipsam verò aedem regiam , the royal edifice , i. e. the church : for so we shall find the famous churches ( cathedrals especially ) often named by eusebius and others . ensebius gives us not a perfect platform of this ; so that we must be forced to collect from others to make up this defect . eusebius leaves us at the entrance of the three great doors , which were it seems at three sides , if not four . if at four sides , then the platform must be an exact square , with a great cupalo , or dome in the middle , sustained by four great pilasters , as that of jovian at corfu ; which to my best remembrance hath but four pilasters sustaining the cupalo ; and i think sancta sophia , at constantinople hath no more . but if it was an oblong square , then i suppose there were more pillars between those that held up the cupalo and the great doors . i shall suppose this to be an exact square ; because of the equal number of cloysters and doors at each side . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , with thrones on high , or in the highest or chiefest place . where , or how these thrones were placed in this church , eusebius his rhetorical style renders difficult to determine . if he means in the highest or chiefest place , it must be at the eastern-side of the church , under the half cupalo making a semi-circle . as there are several in greece , remaining to this day . as at athens , in the temple of minerva : at prossia , in the great church turn'd into a mosque : and as monsieur grelot describes it in sancta sophia at constantinople . but if there were doors and cloysters on each of the four sides , this could not be . and he must only mean altissimis thronis , as the translator understands it ▪ if so they must be placed under the circle of the great cupalo , which was separated from the rest of the church with latice work of wood , wrought most curiously with various figures . for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , synthronon ( as it was also called ) was placed within the sacred place towards the eastern end , against the wall. but here it was placed probably only near the latice separation , which kept off the people every way , and was placed in the middle . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c at last he placed the holy of holies , the altar in the middle ; which he made every way inaccessible to the multitude , by a separation of wood , &c. so that if he means by the middle , the middle of the whole church , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be about it . and , as i believe ▪ in a semicircular form , as i have seen it ; only with this difference , that in those it is against the wall at the east end ; but here a space was left between it and the east wall without it , as between it and the south , north and western entrances , for the ●ate●umenoi to come and hear the word of god ; either at the several great doors , or a little within them . so i shall place the altar in the middle , under the great cupalo ; which i conceive was separated from the rest of the church by cancelli , or open work of wood , curiously carved and wrought in various figures and flowers . and and at the eastern side of this circle i shall place the thrones , or the synthronon ; because it was the general use of the primitive christians to worship god towards the east : and in figure like that remaining at athens , which is thus : three large degrees or steps of white marble , one above another , in a semicircular form ; high enough to sit upon , and broad enough for the feet of those sitting above , and for the seat of those sitting thereon beneath . upon the uppermost step , is a large chair of beautiful white marble ▪ in the middle of the segment , alone against the window , which i suppose was for the archbishop . the uppermost step , i suppose , was for the bishop's collegues , when they met upon consecrations of bishops , synods , &c. as the ancient canons ordain ; and the next for the presbyters : for that they use to sit with the bishops is evident from zonaras , on the lviii . apostolick canon . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c for this reason it is ordained , that the bishop sit on a seat on high in the holy place , to shew the duty of his office , to look down upon the people committed to their charge from above , and narrowly to watch , observe and oversee them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c , there also the presbyters are commanded to assist the bishop , and fit with him , that they also from these high seats may be induced with prudence to inspect the people , and to instruct them , as given to be fellow labourers to the bishop . from whence we learn not only , that the bishop and presbyters sate together on high seats or thrones ; but also that this was placed within the holy place , he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which plainly in this place signifies not the altar , or holy table ; but the place where it stood : thô sometime it signifieth no more . and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in eusebius may ( for ought i see ) be understood . and if so , then the placing of it in the middle of this church becomes necessary : but it must be acknowledged , that this place and the holy table are indifferently called by the same name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in such places as the sence distinguisheth them . and this holy place was called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , either from the steps ascending to it , or the degrees that were placed in it ; and was ordinarily the most remote place and part of the church towards the east , as i shall shew afterwards . but in this famous church of tyre , it seems to be placed in the middle of the church under the great cupolo also , by its being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , every way separate from the vulgar by latice of wood. from this passage of zonaras we are also inform'd , that from hence the bishop and presbyters use to preach and instruct the people ; which may also be proved by several others as great , if not greater authorities . and so the placing of it here in the middle was most convenient for a great multitude of auditors , to stand round about him ; the faithful nearest , and the katechumenoi and penitents next to them . so therefore i will place it in this scheme of the church of tyre . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . what these exhedrae and great edifices were , i find the learned valetius is at a stand to determine : he supposeth they were the baptistory , or place where they used to baptize ; or secretarium , the vestery ; salutatorium , or the place to keep the sick in , an hospital . indeed in several ancient western churches , i have seen the baptistory by it self a distance from the churches , as at piza and spalato ; but i never saw it in the eastern . besides eusebius speaks of them , as the two fountains in the inner-court or cloyster ; which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the symbols of holy cleansing or purifying . he also assigns the use of them , to wit , for mansions for those who have need of baptism , and those that have need of expiation ; to wit , the katechumenoi , who staid there for to study and to have instruction ; and the penitents , who staid there , to intreat the church for absolution , and to do the penance appointed by the canons of the church . but some of these buildings indeed might be assigned for hospitals for the poor and sick ; and especially for ancient widows for whom the ancient church had all the care and veneration imaginable . i do not doubt , but among these also were apartments for the ministers attending the divine service and prayers night and day ; if not for the bishop himself : such as are mentioned by eusebius , to be annexed to the portico about the church of the apostles at constantinople ; to wit , palaces baths , lodgins for strangers ; and several other necessary places , for the use of those that kept the temple ; that is , the ministers thereof , which were built to the cloysters . the placing of these ( as near as i can guess ) was parallel to the great vestibulum or porch on each side ; and from thence in a single row , or in two quadrangles , to joyn up to the basilico or inward temple . for so he makes them on the one part to be joyned to the basilico , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and at the other to the gates of the middle edifice : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i have made them therefore to fill up the vacant angles , between the courts on each hand ; so that they might have doors into the several cloysters , or portico's to the temple ; as eusebius seems to intimate before , when he saith , those cloysters were a convenient habitation , for those that yet had need of the first institution or instruction . whether the other two spaces at the east end were filled up with buildings , is not certain ; but to fill up the beauteous symetry , he every where expresseth , i am apt to believe , they were either for houses for the ministers , or hospitals for the poor , sick and widows . and now i think every one must needs confess , that they never saw any thing more beautiful , magnificent and uniform than this primitive cathedral of tyre ; which was built immediately , as soon as they had either capacity or liberty to do it . and we read of no murmurers , that envyed the costly devotion of those pious bishops and people bestowed on god their saviour and mighty redeemer : nor were they by any charged with superstition ( either upon that or any other account ) in that glorious age of the church . the plane of the church of the holy sepulcher . chap. iv. of the church of the holy sepulchre . this by the piety of the emperour constantine , was built over the place where the body of our saviour was laid , from the time of his death to his resurrection . this place ( as the most eminent monument of the truth of the christian religion , ) the heathens had defiled , covered it all over with rubbish and earth , and then built a temple to their most unclean goddess venus . but the memory of it being preserved by the christians , this prophane temple was demolished , and the whole unsanctified materials quite carried away , and cleansed to the rock , by the command of the emperour ; where they found that venerable monument entire and perfect after so many years . which gave great joy to the whole church , and especially the pious emperour ; who resolved there to erect a glorious church , beyond any extant in any city in the world ; to be a triumphant trophy of the glorious victory of christ over death , the world , and the devil . and to that end wrote letters to macarius the bishop of jerusalem , to consult about the matter and form of it . and to all the presidents and governours of those parts , to be assistant with things necessary , and with all the most precious materials , and ablest architects and workmen . and this eusebius describes at length by the epistle it self ; and then in the 33d chapter of his third book , goes on thus : those things the emperour wrote , and the effect followed immediately after his words : for in the very place of our saviour's sufferings was built the new jerusalem , over against the old famous city . which after the impious murther of our lord , suffered the utmost desolation , for the sake of its wicked inhabitants . the emperour right over against it , erected the trophy of our saviour's victory over death , adorned with riches and beauty . and perhaps this was that new jerusalem spoken of by the prophets , which the blessed words in many places in the spirit of god doth celebrate . first he adorned the holy cave as the chief head and principal part of the whole work ; to wit , the divine monument , beside which the angel cloathed with celestial light , declared the glad tidings of regeneration by our saviour to all the world. this i say , as the chief of the whole work , his imperial majesty adorned with wonderful pillars , with admirable beauty , and with all kind of ornaments . thence you pass into a vast great court open to the pure air ; curiously paved with beautiful stones , encompassed at three sides with long portico's . because the royal temple was joyned to that side ▪ towards the sun-rising , opposite to the sepulchre : a wonderful work , raised to an immense height , and spread out to a proportionable length and breadth ; whose inside was imbelished with planks of divers coloured marble , and the outside with a polite kind of stone curiously joyned together , with a beauty nothing inferiour to marble . he covered the roof on the outside with lead to keep out the winter rains : the inside he adorned with carved work , and with planches curiously joyned together , that it represented a great sea spread all over the temple , and so covered all over with gold , that it makes the whole church shine with incomparable splendor . about both sides also of the temple were two rows of double portico's , containing an upper and a lower story ; which extended themselves the length of the whole temple , whose arches were gilded with gold : of which those near the front of the building were sustained with vast large pillars ; those that were within those at the front , were raised upon pedestals made very beautiful without : three gates well placed towards the sun-rising , received the entring crowd of people . opposite to those gates was the hemisphere or cupolo , which is the chief of the whole work , raised up to the highest part of the church : these twelve pillars do encircle , equal to the number of the twelve apostles ; whose capit●ls are adorned with large fret-work of silver ; which the emperour dedicated to be a most beautiful offering to god. thence going forward , towards those entrances placed before the temple , there is an open court between . there were in these on both sides , and in the outward court porticoe's , and beyond the court-gates , and beyond those in the middle of the street a market properly and beautifully adjoyned to the outward gate of the whole ; yielding to those walking without an amazing prospect of those things that are to be seen within . this temple the emperour built to be a salutiferous testimony of the resurrection ; which he adorned with furniture very magnificent and princely . it is not to be expressed with what gifts and offerings he enrich'd it , of silver and gold , and precious stones . of which time will not permit particularly to describe the curiosity of the work ; and the singular greatness , and number , and variety of them . chap. v. observations on the church of the sepulchre . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , eximiis columnis . what figure this magnificent structure was built in , eusebius leaves us to find out some where else ; only he saith , it was adorned with fine pillars . if the present building be the same that was built by constantine ( as eusebius , or by his mother helena a● zozomene , and as in all likelyhood this part is , thô not the whole ) then it was thus , according to mr. sands's figure : upon a circular foundation is raised a very large and wide cupolo , with a double portico or gallery sustained by many marble pillars surrounding it within , with upper and lower story . the number of the pillars , according to his platform , is sixteen , besides those that support a great door entring into the body of the church . between the upper story and the roof is a border of niches , containing figures of saints in mosaick work ; which we may suppose of later date . the roof shuts up in a cupolo , covered within with beams containing whole bodies of cedars , so as to leave a round hole in the center on the top , that lets in both light and air ; just under which is the holy monument . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. thence you pass into a vast great place into the open air , i. e. eastward ; as he goes on with his description . at the east-side there is a great gate , but now it opens only into the body of the church : but in eusebius's time it seems there was a great court between , encompassed on three sides with portico's , or cloysters sustained with pillars . and the fourth towards the east , and opposite to the sepulchre , was the front of the basilica or church ; which according to his description was a vast great church : but now must be either much . bigger than it was then , or it must have been built further eastwards ; but the rock of mount calvary , to the foot of which this temple reaches , seems to hinder this : so that where the present body of the church is built , i take to be the place where that great court or cloyster was . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. towards the sun-rising ; i. e. eastward from the sepulchre , on the opposite side of the court was the church ; which he calls here , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the kingly or royal temple . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. about both sides of the temple were two rows of double portico's , containing an upper and a lower story or gallery ; to wit , one row or gallery even with the pavement of the church , and another above that . like that now about the sepulchre : and so is sancta sophia , and st lukes . but i do not know , but that by double portico's , he may mean below as well as above ; like that which mr sands describes at bethlem , lib. 3. p. 178. which has two rows of beautiful marble pillars of one piece , on each side of the body of the church : but here is no upper portico at present . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. three doors towards the sun-rising . i suppose he means in the front , as they went from the sepulchre eastwards by what follows ; thô that there were also doors at the east-end will be manifest by and by . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . opposite to these , i. e. the doors and the portico's , was the hemisphere ; i. e. that the italians call a cupolo , and the french a dome . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . valesius seems much out in this matter , thinking that eusebius calls this improperly so ; and would rather have it a hemicyclus , or rather a hemicylender : for eusebius means not that sort of a quadrant of a sphere , as is to be seen at the east-end in some churches ; as sancta sophia , &c. where the altar was placed in such churches ; but properly a cupolo , which is a hemisphere and was here sustained by twelve pillars ; under it indeed i suppose was the altar placed in the center of the circle ; as at that of tyre : but more plain here , for at the east-end were also doors to this church , more evidently than that of tyre . and in reality here is yet a great cupolo standing , as mr. sands's draft describes it , and may be the same eusebius speaks of , for ought i know . thô there seem to be many other alterations now from the ancient church . there is indeed a semicircle below ; but eusebius speaks of its reaching up to the summit of the building , where i doubt not but it was properly a hemisphere . but i do not think with him , that it was the furthest eastern part of the church ; but so that there was place to go about it without side , where the two double portico's met , as the figure i have made of it , or as it is on the east-end of westminster-abby : for , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. thence going forward to the entrance before the temple , he placed an open court. thence going forward , shews plainly , that there were eastern-gates or passages that led into a great court , or cloyster ; which led to outward gates , and so to the street and market in a continued series . therefore i take it to be plain . that the altar was here placed under the cupolo , but more toward the eastern-end , than that i described at tyre ; but so with a semicircle at the bottom , as the synthronon might there be placed . and by a walk under the double portico ( on each hand ) was a space both about it , and between it and the eastern wall , and there doors to go out into the eastern-cloyster , gates and street . the present platform doth not altogether answer this ; for all the cloysters and courts are gon , and the entrance now is only south . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the first court. i take this to be the same that he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the 10th book of his description of the church of tyre , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , with a wall about the whole circuit of ground , to be the fence of the whole ; which it seems was also beautified here with covered walks or cloysters , sustained with pillars , as well as the inner courts , he calls here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and in the title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as valesius observes . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , exedrarum . it seems by this title , there were also out-houses and buildings to this as well as to that of the church of tyre ; thô he describes them not ; and we may suppose joyned to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or outward court ; or else to the outsides of the other courts . things are now so transposed and blended here by the little fables , legends and superstitions of the romans , that there is now but a little of the ancient glory , beauty and splendor of this magnificent edifice remaining . chap. vi. of the building of the martyrium of the apostles at constantinople . eusebius de vitâ constant . lib. 4. cap. 58 , 59. after this the emperor began to build the martyrium in memory of the apostles , in the city called by his own name . and when he had built the temple up to an immense height , he rendred it most splendid with various sorts of stone , casing it all over from the bottom to the roof therewith . the roof within-side he adorned with fine small work , embelish'd all over with gold. the roof without-side he covered with brass instead of tiles , to secure the whole the plane of the church of the apostles at constantinople . building from the rains ; which also he made shine with gold , insomuch that it dazelled the eyes of them that beheld it afar off , by the repercussion of the sun-beams from it . the circular chancel or cupolo was enclosed about with net-work of brass , gilded with gold. and this temple by the emperor 's great and pious care , was yet adorned after this manner : about it was a great open court , letting in the fresh air : about which was on the four sides , joyning to each other , portico's making a cloyster , encompassing the court and temple in the middle . adjoyning to these portico's , he built palaces , baths and mansions , with many other conveniences , for the use of those that kept the place . there he placed twelve cases , as it were sacred pillars in memory of the apostles , and placed his own monument in the middle . chap. vii . observations on the temple of the apostles . what form or figure this was built of , eusebius , gives us no account ; only that it was plac'd in the midst of a large square and open court , adorn'd and accommodated with a cloyster on the four sides , to which were joyned palaces , baths , places to lodge strangers , and other conveniences . but valesius out of gregory nazianzen ( in carmine de insomnio anastatiae ) shews us , that the temple it self was built in form of a cross . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and the magnificent temple of christ's disciples , divided in four parts , with sides in form of a cross . that is , i suppose , square without , and divided within into four parts , in form of a cross ; as most of the ancient churches i have seen in greece , and now extant , remain to this day : as that of sancta sophia , at constantinople ; jovianus at corfu ; of romanus at s. luke's convent under the helicon ; that at heraclea , &c. which have a cupolo raised in the middle ; with half cupolo's joyned to the east , west , north and south ; and small cupolo's filling up each corner . which being covered with brass , and gilt with gold , must needs make a most splendid show to all that beheld it afar off , and near at hand . indeed mr. sands gives us a platform of one built by the same emperor , or his mother helena , much longer than broad , and so more like our western form of the cross . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . this valesius thinks was either the cupolo , or place for the altar . i take it to be both , that is , the whole chancel , from the top to the bottom ; which was of a circular figure , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or as i think it should be written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , circulari formâ , to wit , a circle at the bottom , and covered with a cupolo or hemisphere on the top. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . this net-work round about the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was made of brass and gold , i. e. brass gilded . this i take to be the cancelli , or separation of the holy place or chancel from the rest of the church . of which net-work separation he hath spoken in the church of tyre , and elsewhere . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the perimeter , round or on every side , or every way about . this intimates that the chancel was not against the eastern-wall , but had a space between ; as those of tyre and ierusalem . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , capsas , quasi sacras columnas . these monumental pillars , i suppose , were such as that of the emperor marcianus , remaining now at constantinople , with a vessel or urn on the top ; unless they were the pillars sustaining the vestibulum . in what part of the church this was placed , eusebius gives no account . one would think they were in the middle under the great cupolo , by the placing of constantine in the middle , but perhaps in the body of the church ; because he saith , they were placed six on the one side , and six on the other . thô s. chrysostom saith , that constantine was buried , in vestibulo aedis apostolorum , quasi eorum janitorem , in the porch of the church of the apostles , as their door-keeper . if so , then these monumental pillars must be placed there also , according to eusebius his description . that which valesius brings out of zonaras to reconcile eusebius and s. chrysostom , only proves in my opinion , that this part of the church that constantine built , both for the memory of the apostles and his own monument , was the vestibulum of the church . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . this i translate palaces ; because it is in the plural number , and because they were joyned to the other conveniencs of the place , for those that had the care and government of it . for there is no likelyhood that there were more churches than one , which was the famous great building he is describing , dedicated to the remembrance of the apostles , and which in the beginning of the chapter he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . thô in the singular number it is generally used for a chief church , to wit , a cathedral , or some great and magnificent building . these accommodations in this church were joyned to the peribolus , or outward court , and the cloysters about it . and i believe were houses for the bishop , presbyters , and the other clergy that had the government of the church of constantinople . chap. viii . a description of the ancient churches and assemblies of the primitive christians . from these several particulars , and my own observations of several ancient buildings , i think i may now venture to make a general description of the ancient church . of which i shall first present you with a scheme of the prospect and platform of it , and then descend to the particulars . the church yard . a plane of the primitive churches . fig : iiii. a prof●●ect of the ancient church . fig : v. this wall had sometimes a cloyster about it ; as the church of the apostles of constantinople . and to these cloysters were built apartments for various occasions of those that appertained to the church ; as houses for the bishop and presbyters , for the poor , widows , &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . from the entrances of this outward court , you went strait forward to the porch , or portico of the church , which the greeks called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which undoubtedly were very magnificent ; both by eusebius's description , and the remains and ancient ruines of many i have seen . that of the emperor jovian at corfu is sustained by corinthian pillars of marble ; that at troy with vast pillars of marble , with all the parts of most beautiful architecture to accompany it : that of sancta sophia at constantinople is double , but seems somewhat encombred with modern buildings of a little brick steeple , and others unproportioned to the magnificence of the rest of the fabrick . the inward roofs of them are arched and encrusted with mosaick work in divers figures , and the ground-work gilded . the reverend and learned dr. beveridge seems to make this distinct from the three parts , that the ancient church was divided into ; according to simeon thessalonicensis , cited by him : and for another reason the divine temple is divided into three parts . to those without or before the temple ; the temple ; and the bema , or chancel * . but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , seems manifestly to me ▪ to point out the same thing with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the porch or gate of the temple † : so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was used by the ancient greeks , to signifie the porch or entrance into their temples , and not as a part within their temples ; but the first part at the entrance . this symeons periphrasis of it makes manifest ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , those without , or before the temple . the same also that zonaras makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , without the church ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , without the church-yard ; and interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the 46th canon of carthage , balsomon makes to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , upon the 87th . can. in trullo . besides i see no part of the ancient buildings accommodated to make them distinct , no more than the present : so that i can no longer doubt , but that they were the same . whether there were any other separation within or no made of wood , i cannot determine , perhaps in lesser churches , where there was no portico , it was divided into three parts within the doors , as dr. beveridge has designed it . from this portico , the entrance into the church was by three large doors ; the biggest of which was in the middle . these were those ( i suppose ) that were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the great doors ; and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the beautiful gates . but i suspect the moderns confound those often with those of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or chancel , which are sometimes called by that name . these doors at the entrance of the church , eusebius speaks of in his church of tyre ; and compares the middle door to a queen , with her two royal attendants on each hand . these three doors led into three general parts of the church ; extended in length from west to east : the great middle door leads into the body or nave of the church † , and the two lesser ones ( at each hand ) into the iles * . and now you are entred into the naos , or chvrch , properly so called ; which was variously divided into diversity of stations , according to the different sex , qualities , and degrees of the assembly . the men in the middle or body of the church , and the women ( as to this day ) on each hand , in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or iles : the married women on one hand , and the virgins on the other . and in some places in galleries over those iles , separated from the view of the men by a latice . that the men were anciently separated from the women ; and the men again subdivided in the latin church also , is manifest from that fragment of an inscription found at rome , and mentioned by dr. cave . — ex dextra parte virorum . this division of the church appears in all the ancient churches i have seen . that the ancient churches were also divided into diversity of stations , according to the different christian qualities , or ecclesiastical degrees of the persons , is also manifest ; thô to place each particular order exactly , there is some difficulty . i have not observed any separation in ancient churches , between the great doors and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or chancel , but those doors that let into the chancel . thô undoubtedly , as there was a separation by cancelli , or open work , between the stations of the clergy and their holy ministry from the laity ; being the station of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or faithful : so likewise there was a separation between the station of the faithful , and the penitents and learners . and this we find plain , that the penitents and learners were placed next to the door ; the faithful next to them , eastward ; and the clergy in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or chancel , in the most eastern part of the church . eusebius makes none , but the faithful to enter within the doors , and assigns his portico's and cloysters for the learners and penitents . but that some of them , if not all , were likewise permitted to come within the church-doors , is also evident by that passage of gregory thaumaturgus * : the place of the hearers is within the gates in the narthex . but balsamon permits them not to come into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or the gates of salvation ; yet still places them in the narthex . so that either there must be some separation of wood between the station of the faithful and the great doors : or by narthex must be meant the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . perhaps in lesser churches , where they had not these outward porches , they made use of some separation of wood within instead thereof : the space between which and the outward doors they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and there probably sometimes they placed the font or columbethra : thô eusebius places it in the quadrangle of his cloyster in the open air. it was in the porch at athens ; and in the court of sancta sophia . there are some passages in their liturgies and pontificals , which seem to make the whole body of the church , between the great doors and the chancel , to have been called the narthex , as their often coming out of the holy doors , i. e. from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , does imply . but i doubt not but this variety ariseth from more modern custom ; since they retain not those several stations they had in old time ; all men now mixing together in the body of the church , and the women on each side in the iles. but however that was , this is evident , that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or learners , and the several degrees of penitents , had their station at the entrance of the church , nearer to the doors than the faithful , and in this order ; according to the several degrees of the penitents ; which were four : first , those who began their penance , or came first to do their penanco , desiring pardon of god and his church ; who were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or those that wept without the church , and were not yet permitted into any part of it . the next degree were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , those who had done a certain prescribed time of penance by the canons ; and so were permitted to come and hear the scriptures . the third degree were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or substrati , those who were humbled , and had performed their penance a degree of time longer , and were permitted to stand within the church some part of divine service . the fourth , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , were permitted to stay and partake of the prayers with the faithful ▪ but , not to communicate with them . each of these had a proper place assigned them . the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were manifestly without the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , if not without the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or outward court ; which was not accounted so holy as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as balsamon observes * . so then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or porch , must remain to some others ; who we find were either the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or learners , and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or those possessed with evil spirits † . then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or substrati : for in this order we find them generally numbred † . so that counting backward from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , who were next to the faithful , behind the pulpit ‖ it is evident that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were next to them ; and next to them the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; who probably stood as near each other , and to the station of the faithful , to hear the scriptures , &c. as the number of them would permit ; but so as without confusion either of sex , or of their own rank . so that those that were women , stood in the station of women ; and men in the station of men : and so that upon the notice of the deacon , each of them might go out without disorder to the rest ▪ when their respective services and prayers were performed , according to the 19th canon of the council of laodicea . between the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the faithful , stood the ambo , or reading desk * . it stood opposite to the holy doors of the chancel † , and the beautiful gates of the entrance : so we may suppose , it stood about the middle of the church ; and either by some steps or separation of wood distinguisht the station of the penitents from the station of the faithful ; viz. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; whose station was behind ; that is , westward . this pulpit , or desk , had a double ascent to it ; one towards the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the other towards the entrance * ; and therein sometimes the emperour had a place . i have seen no marks of this , either in the ancient or modern greek churches ; for the ambo is now placed on the north-side of the nave of the church , nearer to the outward gates than the bema ; as i observed in the temple of minerva , at athens , one yet remaining of white marble curiously wrought ; which seems to stand so in the middle of the whole church that it is as near to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or portico , as to the bema or chancel . therefore it may be supposed to stand near the entrance of the station of the faithful . the principal use of this ambo was , to read the scriptures to the people ; especially the epistles and gospels . they read the gospel there yet , and not at the altar . the singers also were placed there , to begin and lead the tunes of the psalms . st. chrysostom was the first , that preached to the people from thence , as i before observed , by reason of the great number of people that crouded to hear him . on the oher side of the pulpit was the station of the faithful , which took not only that space between the pulpit and chancel , in the middle or body of the church , which was for the men ; but also on eachside , in the north and south 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or sides for the women . eusebius , seems to hint . that this was adorned with seats or benches in order all over the church ; as the bema or chancel was with thrones , for the bishops and presbyters . but now the body of the church among the greeks is accommodated with stalls , and a throne for the bishop at the right hand , at a little distance from the bema ; much resembling our quiers with doors on each hand into the iles : but the bishop and clergy sit , or rather stand next to the bema , to sing and officiate ; and in the rest , the laity of better sort ; and in the middle the rest ; as i observed at the catholicon at athens , as they now call their cathedral churches . but in the ancient church , this was the station of those only who lived a godly , righteous and sober life ; and therefore were called the faithful . and those who had so long persevered in repentance , that they were raised again to that degree of holiness , required by the word of god and the church ; thô they were some time longer proved , before they were permitted to participate of the most sacred symbols , being in their last degree of penitence . from their admission into the assembly of the faithful , they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and staid and were partakers of the prayers of the faithful , but did not communicate of the holy sacrament with them . the station of the faithful was divided into several parts , as i hinted before ; and is evident from that old fragment of an inscription before mentioned , — ex dextra parte virorum . so that there were stations for the men on the right hand , and on the left. and that the station of the men is mentioned , it shews evidently there was a distinct station , or stations , for the women . for the virgins also had a distinct station from the married women , as origen shews . which were undoubtedly either the iles on either hand , or the galleries over them , or both ; as it is in the greek church to this day . which seems not only very decent , but now adays ( since wickedness so much abounds ) highly necessary : for the general mixture of men and women in the latin church is notoriously scancialous ; and little less is their sitting together in the same pews in our london churches . these parts of the church the pious and learned dr. beveridge shews were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , out of the euchologium or greek ritual . and † eusebius calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or porches , both the upper and under , in the church of the sepulchre at ierusalem . the latin church called them alae , wings thence the french , les-ailes ; and we more cor●uptly , iles , from their resemblance of the church to a dove . next to the station of the faithful is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or that we call chancel , thô differing very much from ours in bigness , being much less than ours in proportion to the rest of the church : for this being appropriated only to the sacred ministry , is very short from east to west , thô it takes up the whole breadth of the church , together with the diaconicon , or prothesis , and the apothesis , from north to south . it 's proportion is about the same with the altar ? within the rails in our church . this was ever esteemed the most sacred place of the whole church ; being appropriated to the most holy mysteries , ministry and function of the christian religion : and therefore is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or chancel , the holy of holies by the ancients , with respect to the temple at jerusalem the holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or place of sacrifice or altar : the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the mercy seat : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the tribunal : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the throne of christ , and altar of god ; according to the diversity of respects and ministerial functions performed therein ; as the greeks typically interpret it . this was divided from the rest of the church by open-work of wood ; as eusebius describes it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , with nets or net-work made of wood ; which only kept off the croud , but hindered not the sight , nor voice from being distinctly heard . this separation in the temple of minerva at athens , was made of jasper and serpentine , and other curious coloured marble pillars , small , and at a convenient distance from each other : and at prussia also , it is divided with small pillars . they called this separation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; which the western-church called cancelli ; whence we take our word chancel . this has usually now three doors , to go into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as it is divided into three parts . the three doors are commonly called together , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the holy doors : and i believe in latter days the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the beautiful gates . for that of the euchologium seems plainly to me , to be coming out of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by the beautiful gates , and returning again by them into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; because he is there to perfume the brethren with incense ; whose station is from the choir-doors , or step downwards towards the great doors . and so i take the modern signification of narthex , to be in general the nave or body of the church ; there being no separation now between that and the three doors that go out into the porch . this separation now is made of boards and wenscot , instead of the net-work of the ancients ; and is painted with the pictures of our saviour , and blessed virgin , and the apostles ; absolutely against the practice and precepts of the primitive church : as that famous act of epiphanius , of renting a painted cloth-hanging , only as a curtain over the door , makes manifest . nevertheless , the middle door into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so large now , that it discovers whatsoever is done within , thô not so well as when it had only open-work of wood. it is much larger than the other two ; and i believe it is that which is called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the typicon , the royal or kingly door . this leads into the holy of holies , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or thusiasterion , peculiarly so called ; for the other doors lead into two other small apartments on each hand , for the preparing the sacrament , and laying up the ve●●●ls and garments . this is now ; and i believe also many times anciently , was placed at the farthest eastern-side of the church , under a concave or half cupolo , like a great nich ; being a half-sylender , semicircular at the bottom , and covered with a quarter of the sphere at the top , and there joyned to the great cupolo by an arch ; just below the hemisphere of the cupolo ; taking up the whole breadth of the nave of the church ; being usually of the same diameter with the cupolo . but that this was otherwise in some churches anciently , is manifest from those we have described out of eusebius ; especially that of jerusalem , where there are both eastern and western doors into the church : therefore most probably the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was there placed , under the great cupolo , as he saith expresly in the middle ; which when they preached from thence , was manifestly the most commodious for the hearers * . i have seen this in some churches raised up from the plane of the church by one single step , and in others equal to it ; whence some have thought it to be called bema , or step. but this , as far as it was without the separation , was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or solium , or throne ; because the emperour had there his seat or throne ; as the worthy dr. beveridge most probably conjectures . the first thing that presents it self within this sacred place , is the holy table of the lords supper ; which they call generally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the holy table ; and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the altar : from whence the whole place was also anciently so called , and that most frequently . it is generally of stone , sustained sometimes by four small pillars , and sometimes by one in the middle . and it is placed in the middle of this holy place , as distant , or rather more distant from the eastern-wall , than the door . that at athens seems to be placed something without this concave , according to the scheme i then took of it : so that there are two rows of pillars ; one on the western , and the other on the southern side of it . this had ( i know not whether very anciently or no ) a canopy over it , sustained by four pillars . at athens , it was sustained by four beautiful pillars of porphyry , with corinthian capitals of white marble , which were very stately . this canopy was in the shape of a cupolo or hemisphere ; and therefore the mystiologists compared it to the heaven , and the table to the earth in the midst of it , figuring our saviour's descent and ascent from heaven . the vnity of the altar was sacred in the primitive church , and is so to this day in the present greek church . they never had any more than one altar in one church , no more than more bishops than one ; as s. ignatius says : as there is one body of the lord , and one cup for the vnion of his blood ; so there is one altar and one bishop . they never crammed their churches with altars against every pillar and post and in every corner of the church , dedicated to every saint and angel in heaven and earth ; as the romans do now . beyond this was the holy throne , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , together with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or consistory ; as i think i may call it . this was placed against the wall of the semicircular concave , consisting of several steps or degrees semicircular also . i remember they are in number three , and of white marble in that of athens and prussia ; which are so high and large , that they are fit both to sit on ; and for those that sit a degree higher , to place their feet on . these degrees were the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; on the top of which was placed a single seat , which was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the throne † . this might well be called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , from the degrees or steps ; but most properly as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a tribunal or judgment seat ‖ . it signifies also surgestum , or a pulpit , whence orators use to plead , as monsieur goar observes out of demosthenes , who speaks of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as going up into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or pulpit , to speak an oration . upon such a high tribunal or scaffold we often see the emperor standing , and sometimes sitting in medals and ancient bass-relieves ; both in adlocutions to the army . and in distributing their bounty to the people : but these are of a different figure from those in the church ; for those were square , and these semicircular . this was lookt upon in the christian church as the tribunal or throne of christ and his apostles , and as the mercy seat of god in the temple ; and therefore was also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the mercy seat. codinus informs us , that the emperour justinian covered this with gold , thô not , as he saith , for the priests to stand upon to reverence the table : but piously to adorn the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or throne as the chair of christ , and his apostles ; in opposition to the chair of moses , and conformable to that glorious throne , or mercy-seat . erected in the temple , adorned with cherubims on each hand ; as seraphick attendants thereon ▪ and not to be worshipped , as the late rather subtil , than ignorant bishop of oxon would insinuate to the world. on this throne , and so on the high seat , was placed the written word of god , or bible ; as mr. goar , by the connexion of his discourse , seems to intimate out of symeon thessalonicensis . and so indeed it was placed in the holy council of nice , on a throne ; intimating , that that was the law of god , whence all true judgment , concerning either faith or manners , must be taken : and according to that , we must both be judged by christ , and as his ministers , judge in the church of god for edification , and not destruction . on this throne and synthronon , both the bishop and his presbyters use to sit together ; and that very anciently as s. ignatius intimates in almost all his epistles : where he compares the bishop in the church to christ , and the presbyters to the apostles . and eusebius tells us , that the chair of s. james of jerusalem ( wherein he taught the people ) was kept till his time . but whether the bishop did always sit in the highest seat , or throne , or in the middle of the synthronon may be questioned , from that of balsamon ; in his commentary upon the 2d canon of the council of constantinople : wherein he saith , it was granted to some bishops , even to sit upon the throne , in the holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the church committed to his charge . but that they did sit on the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together , is evident from the lvi . canon of the council of laodicea . but this was not in ancient times , to make a vain glorious and pompous show in the church ; but besides the representation of christ's judgment . seat , to put the people in mind of the great judgment to come , it was the chair of christ and seat of the elders ; from whence the bishops and priests use to preach to the people , in the name , and by the authority that christ committed to them . so zonaras tells us , that the bishop was placed in a seat on high , in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or holy place ; signi●ying , that he ought ( according as the canon prescribes ) to take care of the clergy , and teach the people piety ; to inspect , and diligently to observe the people under him from that sublime place . — — and that there also the presbyters are commanded to assist , and sit together with the bishop ; that they also may be admonished from that high seat , to teach and instruct the people in holy life and conversation , as they are given to be fellow labourers to the bishop . socrates also and zozomen inform us ▪ that this was the ancient custom ; shewing , that s. john chrysostom was the first that preached in the ambo , or reading desk of the church , by reason of the multitude of people , that crouded up to hear him . on which valesius brings us an old constitution or law of king childebert , importing the same thing ; and then sends us to baronius ; who shews us . that gregory nazianzen preached within the bema in the same church that chrysostom preached in the ambo , or pulpit . the place he mentions is at the latter end of his epistle to the 150 bishops ; where he bids all his church , his people , and every thing in it . adieu . adieu , o my chair ! this envied height , and this dangerous council or consistory of chief priests : priests become honourable as well by reverence , as by age. and you , whoever you be , about the holy table in any other ministry of god , and coming nigh to god , who in near at hand — and a little after : adieu , ye lovers of my sermons , and you who run and concur with me ; and you both publick and private writers ; and thou oppressed chancel , by those that croud about the word of god. those verses of prudentius prove also the same thing : fonte sub adversa gradibus sublime tribunal tollitur , antistes praedicat unde deum . this manner of sitting together , and both preaching to the people ; and i believe judging , and pronouncing the church-censures from thence ; was also the reason that the assembly , or consistory of the bishop and his presbyters , was called * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 † , mentioned in the scripure , and often in s. ignatius's epistles , and here by s. gregory ; as if they were successors of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or council of the chief priests and elders among the children of israel . on each hand of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or tribunal , or chancel ; viz. to the north and south ; are two other small apartments , about half the bigness of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , covered usually at the top with a small cupolo ; as there is in like manner over the four corners of the temple ; which makes the whole symetry of the roof of it most beautiful and uniform . each of these have two doors ; one to enter in from the iles , and another into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that towards the north was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; as the reverend dr. beveridge shews at large ; but it is now called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the present greeks ▪ and in the present rubricks both of s. chrysostoms and s. basils liturgies . there is usually a little table in it , and a nich in the wall ; where they lay up the bread that is offered by the people , or brought in for the sacrament . there also they prepare the sacrament with some ceremonies , before they carry it solemnly in to the altar ; and thither they carry it again , to eat and drink up the remains , when the liturgy is finish'd . which table they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as well as the bread , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and thence it is they carry it solemnly into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , coming first out by the the door towards the ilo ; and thence enter in by the great door in the middle . the other on the south side they at present call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; which is commonly furnished with shelves one above another ; whereon they lay their books , their vestments , and holy vessels , in such places as they dare keep them in the church . i have observed these places in very ancient churches ; as at st. luca and corfu . and those vast ruins of troy seem much to have been a christian church , from this conformity of two lesser concaves on either hand of the great one in the middle . the material church of the ancients was thus prepared and adorned , for the solemn and publick worship of almighty god. and thus contrived for the accommodation of every class of the spiritual building , to the edification of the whole in faith and love ; according to the measure of grace that every one had received from the lord. here you see magnificence without gaudiness ; splendor and gravity mixt together ; comliness and beauty , with order and reverence : and all far from foppery and superstition . the edification of the whole in love , was the chief concern of those truly great and zealous pastors . thô they neglected not the external reverence , decency and order in their assemblies ; yet it was with regard to the purifying the flock of christ ; even as he had given them precepts and examples to be pure ; knowing this , that without holiness ( in christ ) no man should see the lord. and this they zealously pursued , without looking for the recompence of reward that man should give them ; but that crown of immortal glory , that the righteous judge should give them in that day . chap. ix . the order the christian assemblies were held in . as their churches were grave , and yet magnificent : so was the order of their assemblies managed with great simplicity , and yet with great authority and spiritual vigor ; with great order , yet with useful plainness . their ritual seems to be but short ; yet much better than the great volumes of ceremonies , the world has since seen in both the eastern and western churches . the order of their assemblies seem to be comprized in that short , but excellent canon of the council of laodicea , can. 19. that men ought first to perform their own devotions privately , alone , or by himself ; after that the homilies of the bishops , and the prayers of the catechists is to be performed : and after the going out of the catechists , the prayer of the penitents is to be performed ; and after these are ministred to , and departed , thus shall the three prayers of the faithful be made : one , to wit , the first in silence ; but the second and third shall be performed with a loud voice . after which , thus shall the peace be given : after the presbyters have given the peace to the bishop , the laicks shall give the peace ; and so the holy offering or sacrament to be celebrated . and it is fit that only the clergy should enter in unto the altar , and there to communicate . justin martyr describes the christian assemblies to be held in much the same manner ; only he mentions the reading the scriptures before the sermon . on the day which is called sunday , there is a meeting together in one place , of all that remain in the cities and countries : and there they read both out of the apostles , and out of the writings of the prophets , so much as is sufficient for the time . then when the reader leaves off , the bishop or president preaches a sermon , exhorting them to the imitation of those good things . after which , we usually all stand up and pour forth prayers : and ( as i said before ) when we desist from praying , bread and wine , and water is offered , and the bishop according to his ability offers prayers and thanksgiving , and the people with a chearful voice say , amen . then follows the giving and receiving of the eucharist to every one ; and to those that are not present , it is sent by the deacons . those that are rich , and willing , every one , according to his own pleasure , gives what he pleaseth . what is collected , is deposited with the bishop or president , and he disspenceth it to the orphans and widows , sick , or those who upon any account are in want , &c. this order seems very natural , proper , and most useful ; especially for those times , when the world was to be taught , and not forced ( as by the romans ) to profess what they either cannot understand ; or the more they do , they see it to be error , nonsense , and contradiction . and concerning the truth it self , children may ; but men will not be forced to learn. therefore truly , since so great a part of mankind are , and ever will be , either ignorant , prejudiced , or invincibly obstinate , and so very much incapable of instruction ; or at least , being so perfectly instructed in the highest mysteries , that they will be hardly reconciled to what even their true spiritual guides and superiours judge most agreeable to the glory of god in his worship , and fittest for their edification . therefore , i say , it would certainly be very happy for the christian world , that some such rational method were ordered , as may with more ease lead them into christ's flock , rather than drive them . for mankind was ever naturally averse to force and violence . it is only force of argument , that can convince the rational soul. and what better order can be invented , than this ancient tryed method ; by which the world was overcome , and became christian ? for thô we have not the same sorts of men in all points now-adays , now the world is professedly christian ; yet in some sort all are so , who are not reconciled , or do not consent to the universal doctrine and practice of christ in vnity and charity ; who have not attained to the perfect building up in the most holy faith. yet so far as they have obtained , i am perswaded that this method would be the best to incite them to such a vnity , as so far to walk all by the same , if such a rule . chap. x. the application to the church of england . this order might with as much ease be accommodated to our church , as it was to the primitive ; since it is so happily restored to the purity of the primitive doctrine and government ; and not a little advanced towards the ancient discipline . for , blessed be god , we have an orthodox and learned clergy ; consisting of bishops , presbyters and deacons : and to these adhere as pious , noble , and well-informed ; not to say as learned a laity , as any age of the world can boast of , and few equal . who both delight and rejoyce in the regular reformation of our catholick , i mean orthodox church ; who in a pure conscience , and upright sincerity , embrace her reverend form of worship , appointed and ordained by the church and state , after mature deliberation in divers synods and parliaments . that admire the prudence , moderation and temper of our reformers , and so fervently love to perform their devotions in sincerity and truth , accompanied with that beauty of holiness that she directs ; for the setting forth the glory of god , and setting forward the salvation of all men. these ought to be look'd on as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the faithful , and perfect of the ancients ; of whom the scripture speaks , and the ancients are not silent . but there are some , who thô they are well instructed , and believe well , and externally conform to the rules of the church ; yet are highly wanting in the practice of holiness of life and conversation . these ought ( in great compassion to their souls ) to be made sensible of their danger ; and for their recovery ought to be considered and intreated as penitents . there are yet others , who acknowledg the same orthodox faith that we do , and are ( as far as we know ) pious and devout ; yet divide from us upon the account of discipline , and form of worship : who having been misinformed concerning us , have thereupon forsaken our communion in prayers and sacraments : yet i know they would be contented to hear sermons , and the holy scriptures , read with us. therefore why should we not have our sermons at such a convenient time of the service , as may invite them to come and be our auditors , for their further instruction , concerning both themselves and us ? which might in time reconcile them entirely to us ; being the thing we so much wish and desire . this requires but the alteration of one indifferent rule , and no substantial part of the liturgy . and what more convenient time than the beginning , either before morning or communion-service , when mens senses are fresh , and open for instruction ? after these are several others , as quakers , &c. who want instruction ; and thô aged , yet are children in the knowledge and grace of jesus christ . these are truly catechumeni , and are by all means , to be invited to hear reason and religion , and to be instructed in their dissenting articles of faith and good manners : for whom sermons and catechetical discourses ( such as are usually discoursed to children , and are most plain and easie ) are most proper . for to such all sorts of mankind might properly come , who may not be admitted to holy mysteries , nor devotions , without impiety and profanation of them . yet such ought , and perhaps would be willing to hear the holy scriptures a sermon or catechizing ; which might prove for their edification , and in time their effectual conversion . so that if i were worthy to be heard , that rubrick , and that part of the act of vniformity ( concerning sermons ) should be the first that i would beseech the church to alter ; as the only absolutely necessary one , i know , to be altered in our present circumstances ; whereby all that are not reconciled , so as to be in communion with us , might have the liberty orderly to leave the congregation , when the sermon or catechetical discourse is ended . as to penitents , they might be assigned another time , as the synod ( with respect to this canon , and our liturgy ) might advise but because the mixture of the assembly makes great disorder and confusion in their leaving the congregation ; therefore it would yet be more commodious , if dissenters had a particular place assigned them for that reason . it would not be a matter of any great difficulty , or charge , to accommodate our churches according to the manner of the primitive church : especially the cathedrals , where they have space enough to do this many ways : they being neither encumbred with pues , nor otherwise straitned . it is but removing their shrines or rather screens in most of them . and the holy table stands where it anciently did ; and setting a reverend pulpit , adorned with the commandments , in the place of the throne . thus within the choirs would be sufficiently capacious for the faithful , and within the rails for the clergy and other ministers : and then there would be sufficient place for dissenters of all sorts in the iles , with liberty to come and go when they think sit ; or rather by the admonition of the minister . or as it is in some churches yet : the sermon might be first preached in the body of the church , according to s. chrysostom's way : which prevailed in after-ages ; and then the clergy and faithful might retire thence to their devotions : first to the choirs for morning-service ; and then at last within the chancel , or rails for the communion . the church of canterbury ( till within this two or three years ) had the morning prayers at seven or eight of the clock in the morning ; the sermon at ten in the audit house ; and then the rest of the communion-service , and communion , in the choir . at worcester the morning-prayer is yet early ; also the litany at ten of the clock , and then , follows the communion service ; and then the sermon in the body of the church , whence they return to the communion in the choir . parish churches might also ( without any great difficulty or charge ) be in like manner thus accommodated . the complaint is now with some reason . thar the choirs are so long and so distant from the bodies of the churches , that when the communion-service is celebrated there , it cannot be well heard . thô indeed for this there is a remedy provided by the rubrick ; to wit , that the holy table shall stand either in the body of the church , or in the chancel : so that no new rule need be made for this . and in many churches the pulpit is already thus placed , at the upper-end of the body of the church : so that there only needs a decent place , with a rail to be before it , to place the communion table in . as this is agreeable to the most ancient manner ; so hath it also modern example to warrant it : for this was the form of most of the protestant churches beyond the seas . the great french church of charenton , had the pulpit ( which they properly call the chaise , or chair , it being the chair of christ , in opposition to that of moses ) placed about a fourth part of the whole length of the temple from the east-end , with a large square place before it ; fenced in by a low wenscot , accommodated with seats about it within for the ministers , and whole consistory . the cathedral at geneva is just so accommodated ( to the best of my remembrance ; ) which perhaps was the very same manner with the ancients , till they had the magnificence of the empire , to accommodate them with richer materials , and greater splendor . in some of their churches , i have observed their communion-table kept within this ; especially at blois ; and , as i am since informed , in several places . therefore , i wonder that their learned monsieur colomiés , should make this a matter of reproach to them , as therein to dissent from all antiquity . i must needs avow with all the respect i ought , that that whole first chapter is a great mistake : for the french churches have this separation from the rest of the church , for the ministers and consistory , which are their clergy . and women and men do not sit promiscuously together , but on benches by themselves : and in many churches , in a part of the temple by themselves ; as at blois ( i remember ) the women sat in the middle of the church , and the men as their guard round about them , nearer to the walls . but he makes the best amends he can now make , by confessing his error , and the juvenility of the treatise . i believe this division of sex was formerly in our churches : for in many country churches ( where the grandees have not deformed them , by making some high and some low , to be tenements to their whole families ) is yet to be seen not only dextra & sinistra pars virorum ; but also the right and left-hand seats for the women . the seats for the men being next to the chancel , and the seats for the women , next from the middle-doors to the belfery ; with an alley up to the middle of the church , and another cross that to the north and south-doors . there is also a rubrick , requiring the men decently to place themselves at the right-hand , and the women at the left , at the celebration of the lord's supper , in the first common-prayer book of king edward the sixth . but the general mixture of all ages and sexes , as in most of the london and westminster churches , is very indecent ; not to say ( as some say , and others make it ) scandalous . i think it may not be impertinent here to give a specimen , to shew how our liturgy might be accommodated to the ancient manner , as it is already to the ancient matter of divine service . for the week-days , when only the assembly of the faithful , or penitents of our communion are expected , i see no just reason to alter any thing in matter or order , in morning or evening prayer : only the penitents , by the admonition of the deacon , might leave the congregation , if any there , after the belief . on sundays also , when they say the morning prayer . early , between six and nine the same order might well still continue . but when the assembly of the whole congregation is expected , it might well be done in the ancient order , with these few alterations : at the appointed hour , whilst the congregation is coming together , might be sung a psalm in metre ; either out of those already in use , or rather another better edition , set forth by authority , collected out of the best of the several editions of them ; done by several hands . as i do not doubt , but there was authority for those in use , when first set forth . for not only that at the front of them testifies as much , in the oldest editions ; but also there is a form of prayer and thanksgiving set forth by queen elizabeth , and her council , wherein one of those psalms are ordered to be sung , not long after that edition , in the same reign in which they came forth . after this might follow a lesson out of the old testament , as appointed ; and then the epistle and gospel as appointed ; either from the pulpit , reading-desk , or as in cathedral churches . then might follow the sermon . after this , the minister might conclude with some such sentence as this : he that cometh to god , must believe that he is ; and that he is a rewarder of all them that diligently seek him . with the heart man believeth unto righteousness , and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation . let us therefore make confession of our christian faith. then might follow one of the creeds , either to be said or sung distinctly . then might follow the commandments , after some such sentence of scripture as this : ye say , you believe there is one god ; ye do well : the devils also believe and tremble ; as the apostle s. james assures us . and that , as the body without the spirit is dead , so faith without works is dead also . let us therefore also keep god's covenant , and consider his commandments to do them . which are the same which god spake in the twentieth chapter of exodus ; saying , i am the lord thy god &c. 1. thou shalt have no other gods but me . answ . lord have mercy , &c. the sum of all which is love. let us therefore love the lord , our god , with all our hearts , with all our souls , with all our powers , and with all our strengths . and , let us love our neighbours as our selves ; by doing unto all men , as we would they should do unto us : for on these two depend the whole law and the prophets . then might follow an admonition for those that are thus minded to stay ; and for those that are otherwise minded , to depart and leave the congregation in peace . then might follow the litany in the morning ; and dearly beloved brethren , confession and absolution in the afternoon . after the litany , all under censure might be admonished to depart . then the exhortation for the communion . then when there is , and where there ought to be a communion , may follow the sentences , collection and offering , &c. as appointed . when there is none ; after the offertory , the lord's prayer , the general prayer , collects , and general thanksgiving . then to conclude with , the peace of god , &c. at evening : after a psalm , as before ; or the psalms , as appointed ; or both ; might follow the lessons out of the old and new testament , as appointed ; the catechism , and then the sermon . then the belief , and commandments , as before ; or instead of the commandments the commination , as in the 27 th chapter of deuteronomy . then the dissenters to depart . and then one or more of the sentences of scripture for repentance . then the exhortation , confession , and absolution . then the penitents admonished to depart ; and then the salutation of peace . the lord be with you . answ . and with thy spirit . then the rest as follows , and according as it is appointed . so you see that the primitive order of divine-service , might be adapted to our present liturgy without altering any thing of the matter , and not very much of the manner of it . now that such things , for the glory of god , and the peace of his church , may ( by the lawful authority of the church and state ) be altered , and otherwise established , our church acknowledges in that excellent preface to the common-prayer book , concerning ceremonies ; why some be abolished , and why some are retained . which is so pious , discreet , and rational an account of those things , that it seems wonderful , that it did not satisfie all men of either piety , learning , or reason . and indeed , i see no reason why men should fall out at all about innocent ceremonies , since we find the earliest times of the universal church , did not concern themselves about such small differences in indifferent practices of divers particular churches . as is manifest from that excellent and pious epistle written by s. irenaeus to victor bishop of rome , touching the observation of easter . wherein he shews various uses of divers provincial churches , in fasts , prayers * , building of churches , worshiping of god in them , and keeping easter it self . and yet they did not fall out about that , nor make a schism in the church upon such frivolous accounts . i wish our dissenting brethren would be followers of that excellent example and temper ; and not divide their own church upon such accounts , but strive together with us to keep the vnity ●● the spirit in bonds of peace . now lest i should grow tedious about small matters , at a time when such great and weighty concerns are under consideration in church and state i will come to a conclusion ; hoping that i shall not be overmuch censured with impertinency , for spending so much of my own , and the readers time , on this subject : since it was so wise a man that said , he that despiseth small things shall fall by little and little . those that consider , that it is about such small things , if the reverend and decent worship of god may be so called , that a very great part of our nation have separated themselves from the national church , will be of another mind . for if mediums might be found out , to bring us to such a right understanding with each other , as would bring us to agree 〈◊〉 worship god together , in vnity of the spirit ; in the bonds of peace ; in reverence and godly fear ; in the same spirit with truth , without excluding decency and comly order . certainly , as there is nothing more desirable in this world ; so nothing should be more earnestly endeavoured by those that have the weighty charge of christ's sheep and lambs , committed to their charge , than to bring them into christ's fold ; to be at perfect unity in faith , and charity in doctrine and practice . and i must profess my ignorance to all the world , of any more effectual means , than the laying before the world , the practice of the apostolical and primitive christians , next to the scriptures , concerning these things , to bring this to pass . those certainly are the aliquod tertium , in which if we could ( as we ought ) agree , we might have hopes in a short time to agree with one another . which i beseech god of his infinite mercy to grant , for the healing of schism , and preventing of vain-jangling , heresie , and the effusion of christian blood in all lands ; through the merits and mediation of jesus christ , our lord and only saviour . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a65619-e640 act. 19. 9. act. 20. 1 cor. 10. 18 , 21. heb. 13. 10. apol. 2. notes for div a65619-e1640 hagg. 2. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the thrones . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . notes for div a65619-e2160 see dr. beveridg . annot . in can. nicen. xi . sec . 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . see dr. beveridg . ibid. n. 12. notes for div a65619-e3930 euseb . lib. 3. de vita const . c. 33. how the new jerusalem , and the church of our saviour was built . cap. 34. of the building of the holy sepulchre . cap. 35. the description of the court and portico's . cap. 36. the description of walls , &c. cap. 37. the description of the double portico , &c. cap. 38. the description of the hemisphere &c. cap. 39. description of the courts , &c. cap. 40. of the number of the offerings . notes for div a65619-e4580 cap. 34. sands's trav. lib. 3. p. 162. cap. 35. cap. 36. cap. 36. cap. 37. notes for div a65619-e5720 fig. 3. cap. 59. cap. 60. notes for div a65619-e5980 chrysost . hom. 26. in ep. 2 ad cor. 7. p. 41 notes for div a65619-e6840 fig. 4 , & 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . sym. thess . de templ . † see pausanias boeot . p. 557. ed. han. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . schol. in sophoclen . that in the front of the temple . virtuvius , lib. 4. c. 4. the church doors . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . cod. de ob. cur. const . aut cap. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . euseb . lib. 10. cap. 4. † efg . * n g. naos . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . in eucholog . in ablutione sacrae mensae . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. greg. thaumaturg . can. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . bals . syn. ancyr . can. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . eucholog . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . euchol . in ord. s. minist . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 — bals . in dionys . alex. cap. 2. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , were the same , is plain by eusebius , in his description of the church of the holy sepulchre . † vid. church of tyre . euseb . † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eccl. hierarch . cap. 3. dionys . areop . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ibid. ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . bals . in schol. ad 15. can. laodic . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . blast . in . lit . m. schol. hermen . † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . sym. thess . de sacram. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , cod. de off. cur. const . c. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 greg. thau . can. 9. orig. tract . 26. in matthaeum . † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . greg. naz. orat. ad 150. episc . eucholog . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . euchol . in ord. s. minist . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . in typ . * it is observable , that that of troy , where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was at the furthest eastern side , that the length from east to west , is but half so much as it is from north to south , undoubtedly for the sake of hearing . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ign. ep. ad phil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. ign. ep. ad magnes . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . greg. naz. orat. ad 150. ep. † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . balsam . in 2. can. syn. constantinop . ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . dio. lib. 44. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . typ . sab. cap. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . cod. sym. thess . de temp. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . balsam . in 2. can. const . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . zonar . in can. apost . 58. socrat. lib. 6. c. 5. zozom . lib. 8. c. 5. baron . an. 407. n. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . greg. nazian . orat. 32. ad cl. ep. prudent . peristeph . hym . 11. de s. hyppolyr . * math. 26. 59. mar. 14. 55. † 1 tim. 4. 14. notes for div a65619-e13050 conc. laod. can. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 just . apol. 2. notes for div a65619-e13310 parallele de la practique de l' esglise ancienne , & de celle des protestans de france , &c. jam. 2. 19 , ver . 26. psal . 103. ver . 18. euseb . eccl. hist . lib. 5. c. 24. * socrates , lib. cap 22. p. 287. d.