A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

An Abridgment of the Discipline.

WE cannot say of the Discipline of the Church, what we have affirmed concerning its Do∣ctrine, viz. That it is the same in all Times, and all Places; because it is an undeniable * 1.1 Truth, that it has been different in many Churches, and has been from time to time subject to change. We ought not however to conclude from this Principle, that it is unnecessary to study the Primitive Discipline, or that we are obliged only to learn that of the Time and Church where we live; for besides, that those Persons who are ignorant of the Discipline of the Primitive Church, cannot pre∣tend to understand the Books of the Ancients, this ancient Discipline is the Foundation of ours: And though the Exteriour part has been changed, yet the Spirit of the Church is always the same. It is not therefore an unprofitable Labour as some have vainly imagined, to busie ones self in examining the Dis∣cipline of the Ancient Church; on the contrary it is a Study extremely useful, and necessary for a Divine.

It must be acknowledged that the Discipline that was observed in the Infancy of the Church, however Holy it was in its Simplicity, yet was not arrived to its Perfection; for the Apostles alto∣gether applying themselves to what was necessary at the beginning, were content to Preach the Do∣ctrine and Morality of our Blessed Saviour, without giving themselves the trouble to regulate what related to the Ceremonies, or Discipline of the Church. Nevertheless we are not to imagine, that they intirely neglected it, and St. John, who lived longer than the rest of the Apostles, seems to have applied himself more particularly to it. But the Successors of the Apostles, by little and little, re∣gulated the Ceremonies, that ought to be observed, as well in the Administration of the Sacraments, as in the Assemblies of Christians, and made particular Orders about the Government of Churches, the Form of Ecclesiastical Judicatures, and many other Points of Discipline.

These Ceremonies were exceedingly augmented in the Fourth Century, when the Church began to enjoy the benefits of Peace and Tranquillity, and Publickly celebrated the Divine Service in the time of the Emperour Constantine. Then it was that the Bishops met together with Liberty, being suppor∣ted by the Authority of Princes; and made abundance of Rules concerning the Government of the Church, the Rights of the Bishops of the greater Sees, the Forms of Judicature, and infinite Numbers of other Matters.

We have here obliged our selves to speak only of the Discipline, that was observed in the Three First Ages of the Church: Then it was plain and simple, and had scarce any other Splendor to recommend it, but what the Holiness of the Manners and Lives of the Christians gave to it. They Assembled every Sunday in particular, in certain Places appointed and set apart for Publick Devotion, where they continued a long time in Prayer, which they pronounced with a low Voice, without Singing it aloud, as afterwards they did. The Bishop, or in his Absence, the Minister, presided in that Con∣gregation, where they read the Holy Scriptures, and oftentimes the Bishop preached the Word of God. The Festivals of our Blessed Saviour's Nativity, of Easter, and Whitsunday were Celebrated even in those Days with great Solemnity. It was not their Custom on Sundays, as likewise from Easter to Whitsunday, to pray Kneeling, and when they offered up their Prayers, they always turned to the East. The places where they met were plain and without Ornament, and it seems probable, thatin those times the use of Images, of Crosses, and Incense was not common. They did not give

the Name of Temple to their Houses of Publick Prayer, nor that of Als••r to the Table upon which they celebrated the Eucharist; they had often their Feasts of Charity and Benevol••nce, which they called Aga••••, where all Comers were kindly entertained.

They pray'd for the Dead, and made Oblations for them, and celebrated the Sacrifice of the Ma••s in Commemoration of them; the Christians gave one another a Kiss of Peace; they called one ano∣ther by the Name of Brethren, and continually made the Sign of the Cross. They pray'd to Saints and Martyrs, and solemnized the day of their Death with Joy, and were perswaded that they interceded with God in behalf of the Living. They Baptized with some Ceremonies, those that were well instructed in their Religion, and who had given satisfactory Signs of their sincere Conversion; they generally dipt them thrice in the Water, invoking the Name of the Holy Trinity, and they never administred this Sacrament solemnly, but at the Feasts of Easter and Pentecost. In Africk to∣wards the Third Age of the Church, they made use of Holy Water in Baptizing their Neophytes. They anointed them with Oil after Baptism, and imagined that this Ceremony convey'd some In∣ternal Benefit to them, and likewise in some Churches they gave them Milk and Honey to taste. They imposed hands upon them, that the plenitude of the Holy Ghost might descend on them, and they considered this Imposition of Hands, which was generally reserved for the Bishop, as a di∣stinct Sacrament from Baptism.

Baptism was never reiterated amongst them, but by Hereticks in some particular Churches, and if after it any Christians fell into Sin, of which they were convinced, or made a Confession to the Priest, they were enjoyn'd a severe Pennance; that is to say, they were thrown out of the Com∣munion of the Church, forbidden the Assemblies of the Faithful, and obliged to Fast, to Humble and Mortifie themselves Publickly at the Church-Porch. In some Churches, and particularly in those of Africk and Rome, there was a time, when they never admitted to Peace those that fell into Idolatry, or those that had committed Murder and Adultery. They afterwards consented to some relaxation for Murderers, and Adulterers, and afterwards for Idolaters themselves, whom they re∣conciled to the Church, either at the point of Death, or after a long and severe Penance. 'Tis true indeed, they did not use the same Severity in all Churches, and in some they admitted Offen∣ders to a Reconciliation after a short Penance, and they likewise abated somewhat of the Rigour of it at the recommendation of the Martyrs. As for the Clergy, those of them that fell into any notorious Sin, were not only deprived for ever from the Ministry, but also obliged to undergo Pub∣lick Penance, at least in some Churches. They that had once undergone this Scandal in the Face of the Congregation were never admitted into the Clergy. They imposed this course of Re∣pentance never but once, and whoever fell into his vitious Transgressions the second Time, could never be reconciled to the Church, and was to expect his Pardon from God alone. The Sentence of Excommunication was pronounced against Hereticks, the Disturbers of Discipline, and those Christians that persisted in a profligate irregular Life. He that was Excommunicated by a Bishop, could be no where received into Communion. The Matter of the Eucharist was ordinary Bread, and Wine mingled with Water; the Faithful made this Offering, and the Priest or the Bishop that presided in the Assembly, said Prayers and Thanksgivings over the Bread and over the Chalice, and after these Prayers were ended, all the Congregation answered Amen. They divided the Conse∣crated Bread into several pieces, and the Deacons distributed them to the Standers by, and gave them also the Consecrated Wine. In some Churches this Distribution was reserved for the Priests, and in others every Man approached near the Table, and took his Portion of the Eucharist himself. All the Christians took it with wonderful respect, protesting they received the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ: they received the Species of Bread in their hands, and likewise the Eucharist was given to Infants under the Species of Wine. They generally received it in the Morning before they had eaten, but this Custom was not intirely Established as a Law, and sometimes they received it in the midst of a repast. This Celebration of the Eucharist was frequently called a Sacrifice; the Priest recited several Prayers both before and after Consecration, and St. Cyprian observes, that he said, Lift up your hearts to God: And the People answered, We have lifted them up to the Lord. The manner of celebrating this Sacrament was Simple and without abundance of Ceremonies, as we have alreadly observed in another place. They received the Eucharist often, and generally whenever they met together in the Assemblies of the Faithful: but they believed that they were obliged to live Piously, and according to the Holy Rules of the Gospel, that they might partake of this Celestial Food worthily, and after a manner that might be beneficial to them. There is no mention made, in the Three first Ages of the Church, of Anointing the Sick, which St. James speaks of; perhaps be∣cause it was seldom used in that time. Marriage was celebrated in presence of the Priests, and was confirmed by some Oblation. Second Marriages were reputed Scandalous; nay, they were con∣demned by some Persons. In some Churches they allowed the Husband to send home his Wife and Marry another, in case of Adultery only: But this was no general Custom amongst them. They took great Care in the Choice of their Ministers to elect such Persons, whose Life and Conversation were unblameable. After the Death of those who had been ordained by the Apostles, the People elected. Though the Names of Bishops and Presbyters were frequently confounded; yet the Bi∣shops were above the Presbyters. The Bishops were generally Ordained by their Brethren, who imposed their Hands upon them, and the Priests by the Imposition of their Bishop and the Clergy. The Bishop was mightily respected and considered by them: Nothing of considerable moment in the Church could be done without him, even Baptism it self was reserved for him, but then he treated his Presbyters as Brethren, and did nothing without their Advice. There were Deacons in the Times of the Apostles, to whom belonged the Administration of Sacred Things at the beginning

of the Church, and to whom in some places it was allowed to lay hands upon Penitents in case of Ne∣cessity. The Deaconnesses also are very Ancient. As for the Sub-Deacons, and other inferiour Orders, they were afterwards instituted; yet they were in use in St. Cyprian's time.

All the Bishops were perswaded, that they received their Office immediately from Jesus Christ, and that Providence had assigned to each of them a Portion of the Flock of the Heavenly Pastor to Govern, in such a manner however, as that in an exigence or time of Necessity, they were to relieve the wants of all Churches. They lived in great Union together, and preserved a mutual Correspon∣dence by Letters, which they sent to one another. The Bishops of great Cities had their Prerogatives in Ordinations, and in Councils, and as in Civil Affairs Men generally had recourse to the Civil Metropolis; so likewise in Ecclesiastical Matters, they consulted with the Bishop of the Metropoli∣tan City. The Churches of the Three Principal Cities of the World were looked upon as Chief, and their Bishops attributed great Prerogatives to themselves. The Church of Rome founded by St. Pe∣ter and St. Paul, was consider'd as first, and its Bishop, as first amongst all the Bishops of the World; yet they did not believe him to be Infallible, and though they frequently consulted him, and his Advice was of great Consequence, yet they did not receive it blind-fold and implicitely, every Bishop imagining himself to have a Right to Judge in Ecclesiastical Matters. They had a Prodigious respect for the Decisions of Councils; and the Opinion of the Universal Church, that is to say, of all the Churches in the World, passed for an Infallible Rule of Faith: They esteemed those Persons, that were separated from the visible Society of the Church, to be Schismaticks, for whom no Salvation was to be had. The Clergy were not distinguished from others by any peculiar Habits, but by the Sanctity of their Life and Manners, they were removed from all kind of Avarice, and carefully avoided every thing that seem'd to carry the appearance of scandalous, filthy lucre. They administred the Sacrament gratis, and believed it to be an abominable Crime to give or receive any thing for a Spiritual Blessing. Tithes were not then appropriated to them, but the People maintained them voluntarily at their own ex∣pence. The Goods of the Church were in common between the Priests and Bishop, who had the Administration of them; the Offerings were reserved for the Poor; the Pastors never abandoned the Flock that was committed to their Care, but with infinite regret, and only in case of Necessity, and carefully acquitted themselves in all the Functions of the Ministry. The Clergy were prohi∣bited to meddle with any Civil and Secular Affairs. They were ordained against their Will, and did not remove from one Church to another, out of a Principle of Interest, or Ambition. They were ex∣tremely Chast and Regular. It was lawful for Priests to keep the Wives they married before they were Ordained, but Marriage was never permitted after Ordination; but both the one and the other was al∣lowed to Deacons. Monks were not as yet instituted; but there were abundance of Persons of both Sexes amongst the Christians, that lived in a state of Celibacy, and chearfully submitted to the austerities of an Ascetick Life. There were likewise some Women in the Third Age of the Church, that solemnly obliged themselves to keep their Virginity all their Life-time. All Christians forbore to eat of any Meat that was Strangled, or Blood, or things offered to Idols, which were called Idolothyta. They fasted with great rigour before Easter, some a longer, and others a shorter space, according to the different Customs of Churches: Besides this, they ordinarily fasted every Wednesday and Friday, till Three a Clock in the Afternoon only, and many of them spent these Days in Pray∣ers, which they called their Stations. They likewise fasted and mortified themselves in Times of Publick Calamities, and when they were in the rank of Penitents. They were of Opinion, That it was unlawful to fast on Sundays, and from E••ster to Whitsuntide. They buried the Bodies of the Deceased in the Earth, and did not approve of the Custom of those that burnt them.

These are the Principal Points of the Discipline of the Ancient Church, which I have collected with all the brevity and exactness that was possible. But no body ought to conclude from what has been said here, that all these things were practised in all Churches, and in all Times of the Three first Centuries. Some began to be used but in the Third Age, and others were only observed in some par∣ticular Churches. After all, it must be confessed, That the Discipline of the Church has been so ex∣tremely different, and so often altered, that it is almost impossible to say any thing positively con∣cerning it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  An Abridg∣ment of Discipline.