divorce in the ecclesiastical court, is use an anointing of the sick,... and only what is called with us, a divorce a peculiar office was made for it; but a mensa et thoro, but does not em- the prayers that were used in it show power the parties to marry again, plainly that it was all intended only in which is a kind of divorce unknown in order to their recovery, and so.... it is any age or country before. The inno- still used in the Greek Church;"4 and cent person, however, was allowed to "no doubt they support the credit of marry again by the popes Gregory and this with many reports, of which some Zachary, and even "in a synod held at might be true, of persons that had Rome in the tenth century. This been recovered upon using it."5 doctrine of the absolute indissolubleness of marriage, even for adultery, was never finally settled in any council before that of Trent."1 "But because that failed so often, that the credit of this rite might suffer much in the esteem of the world, they began, in the tenth century, to say The last additional sacrament of the that it did good to the soul, even when Church of Rome is extreme unction, so the body was not healed by it, and called from its being used only on the they applied it to the several parts of near approach of death. The form of the body," after having originally apthis sacrament, they say, is the appli- plied it "to the diseased parts" only. cation of olive oil, blessed by the bishop, In this manner was the rite performed to all the five senses, using these words, "in the eleventh century. In the "By this sacred unction may God twelfth those prayers that had been grant thee his mercy, in whatsoever thou hast offended, by sight, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching; "3 the priest applying the oil to each of the senses, as he pronounces the name of it. The first mention that is made of this ceremony is by Pope Innocent. Sacred oil, indeed, was held in great veneration so early as the fourth century, and esteemed as an universal remedy; for which purpose it was either prepared and dispensed by priests and monks, or was taken from the lamps which were kept burning before the relics of the martyrs. But "in none of the lives of the saints before the ninth century, is there any mention made of their having extreme unction, though their deaths are sometimes very particularly related, and their receiving the eucharist is often mentioned." But "from the seventh century, on to the twelfth, they began to formerly made for the souls of the sick, though only as a part of the office (the pardon of sin being considered as preparatory to their recovery) came to be considered as the main and most essential part of it. Then the schoolmen brought it into shape, and so it was decreed to be a sacrament by Pope 4 "The office requires, that they be no less than seven, and assigns to every one of them their particula, employment at that time. But this Eugenius, and finally established at these five additional sacraments are Trent." "1 now universally abandoned in all the reformed churches, Christians would rectify their notions concerning the remaining two, and not consider them, as they did in the times of popish darkness, to be outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace. For that will always encourage the laying an improper stress upon them, to the of mind, and those good works, which undervaluing of that good disposition alone can recommend us to the favour of God, and to which only his especial grace and favour is annexed. PART VIII. A HISTORY OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE METHOD OF CONDUCTING PUBLIC WORSHIP. on the buildings in which Christian assemblies were held, their appurte nances, &c. SECTION I. LONGING TO THEM. THE INTRODUCTION. THE subject of this part of my work is no very important article in the history of the Corruptions of Christianity, because mere forms are but of little consequence in religion, except when they are put in the place of OF CHURCHES, AND SOME THINGS BEsomething more substantial; and indeed too much of this will be found to Ar first, Christians could have no have been the case in this business. places to assemble in but large rooms It will, however, be a matter of curio- in private houses; and when they besity to many persons, to see what gan to erect buildings for the purpose, changes have been made from time to it is most probable they were such as time in the forms of Christian worship; the Jews made use of for their synaand therefore I did not omit to note gogues; their manner of conducting such particulars concerning it, as hap- public worship, as well as their regu pened to fall in my way, but without lations for the government of churches, giving myself much trouble to look for being copied from the Jews; and, as them. It will seem that, in general, far as appears, nothing more simple the same spirit dictated these varia- or more proper could have been adopted tions that led to other things of more for that purpose. importance to the essentials of religion. I shall begin with a few observations Of the buildings themselves we know but little. The names that were origi nally given to these places of assembly, that holy water should be added. In were the same as those of the Jewish 816, a synod was held at Canterbury, synagogues, viz. Evкrηpia or Пporeuxa, in which, besides these things, it was that is, houses of prayer; but after ordered, that the images of the saints, wards they were called Kupiaka, and in whose names the churches bore, should Latin Dominica, whence came the be painted upon the wall. From the German word Thom (Dom), and the year 1150 they added the signature of Flemish and English words Church the cross, and other figures, on the and Kirk. These buildings were not pavement and walls; and afterwards called temples till the time of Constan- they traced on the pavement the Greek tine. But about that time, in imita- and Latin alphabet, in the form of a tion of the Pagans, they called the cross; and lastly, they added the litany magnificent buildings which were then of the Virgin Mary and other saints. erected for the purpose of public wor- That some ceremony, or some pecuship by that name. And these being liar solemnity, should be used on the generally made to enclose the tombs first making use of any building desof martyrs, these tombs were called tined for the purpose of public woraltars, on account of their bearing ship, is natural, and certainly not some resemblance to the altars of the improper, provided nothing more be heathen temples. And from this came implied in it, besides solemnly setting the custom, at the end of the fourth it apart for that particular and valua century, of putting bones and other ble purpose; and we find that solemn relics of martyrs in all those places consecrations were made of the temple which were used for the celebration of Jerusalem, and of everything_beof the Lord's supper, instead of the longing to the Jewish religion. But wooden tables, which were at first used the ceremonies above mentioned show for that purpose. that some peculiar virtue was ascribed to them, and that it was supposed they imparted a character of peculiar sanctity to the building itself. And that the bells in them (which served no other purpose originally, besides that of calling the people together,) should have any form of consecration in churches, is a little extraordinary. This, however, was done with much solemnity by John XIII. in 968. When Constantine ordered the Christian churches to be rebuilt, it was done with great pomp ; and before they were used for the purpose of public worship, some ceremony of consecration began to be used. But at first nothing more was done for that purpose, besides singing of psalms, preaching and receiving the Lord's supper, that is, nothing more, in fact, than going through the usual forms of public worship, but probably with greater solemnity and devotion, followed by feasting and other marks of festivity; and it soon became the custom to repeat this festivity on the same day annually. In 538, it appears, that the dedications of churches were sometimes made by sprinkling of holy water. For in that year Pope Vigilius says that this ceremony was not necessary; it being sufficient for the consecration of churches to celebrate the eucharist, and deposit relics in them. But in 601, Pope Gregory expressly ordered 1 Sueur, A. D. 211. (P.) There having been cast at that time a larger bell than had ever been made before, for the church of Lateran, at Rome, this pope sprinkled it with holy water, "blessed it, and consecrated it to God with holy ceremonies," from which is come the custom of consecrating all bells used in churches, and which the common people call baptizing them. Upon this occasion they pray that when the bell shall sound they may be delivered from the ambushes of their enemies, from apparitions, tempests, thunder, wounds, and every evil spirit. During the service, 2 Ibid. A. D. 335. (P.) which is a very long one, they make that we are struck with is a vessel of many aspersions of holy water, and what is called holy water, into which several unctions on the bells, both those who enter dip their finger, and within and without; and at each then mark their foreheads with the unction they pray that the bell may sign of the cross. This holy water, be "sanctified and consecrated, in the there can be no doubt, came from the name of the Father, of the Son, and lustral water of the Pagans, as indeed of the Holy Spirit, to the honour of learned Catholics allow. This water Emanuel, and under the patronage of was also placed at the entrance of the such or such a saint." heathen temples, and those who enThe idea of this ceremony, as almost tered were sprinkled with it. The first of every other that was used by Chris- express mention made of holy water tians, was adopted from the Pagan among Christians, is an epistle of ritual, in which there was a solemn Vigilius, bishop of Rome, written in consecration of every instrument used 538, in speaking of the consecration of in their worship. And indeed there churches, as was mentioned above; were consecrations for the same pur- though some have thought that to pose of everything that was made use have been holy water which Synesius of in the worship of the Jews. But mentions, as placed at the entrance nothing in the heathen ritual can of the churches, for the purpose of equal the absurdity of this consecration of bells. For besides what is observed before, in order to make this ceremony a more proper baptism, (a name that was first most probably given to it by the vulgar, from the sprinkling of the bell with holy water,) godfathers and godmothers were appointed on this occasion, to answer questions instead of the bell; and A fondness for the sign of the cross they pray that God would give the was one of the first superstitions of bell his holy spirit, that it may be Christians. It was probably first used sanctified for the purposes above men- by way of distinguishing themselves tioned, and especially for driving away from the Heathens, or to show the witches and evil spirits, and preventing Heathens that they were not ashamed tempests in the air, which were supposed to be caused by those spirits. The bell had also a name given to it, as in baptism. I shall proceed to mention other things which superstition has introduced into Christian churches, and especially such as were borrowed from the Pagan worship. In Popish churches the first thing 1 Sueur, A. D. 968. (P.) Mosheim, II. p. 350. (P.) [?] "So real a baptism they make of it, that they have god fathers and godmothers, forsooth, which hold the rope of the bell in their hands, who give the bell a name, and are to answer on the bell's behalf, to such questions as the bishop or suffragans shall demand of it." See Caldarinus in Tract. de Interdict. I. par. No. 79, and Albericus de Rosatis, in Dictionar. in the word Campana. Hist. of Popery, 1735, II. pp. 22, 23. washing their hands before prayer.3 Middleton farther observes, that the composition of this holy water is the same with that of the Heathens, viz. "a mixture of salt with common water; and the form of the sprinkling-brush, called by the ancients aspersorium or aspergillum, is much the same with what the priests now make use of."4 of that with which they were most reproached, viz. the crucifixion of their Master. From this constant use of it they began to imagine that there was some peculiar virtue in the thing itself. They also imagined it to be alluded to in many passages of the Old Testament, and various rites of the Jewish religion, and they were also pleased to find the traces of it everywhere else. Hence came the custom of marking themselves with it, which is said to have been first done by the Valentinians, and then by the Montanists, of whom was Tertullian, who makes great boast of it. But it does not appear to have been used in the public offices of religion in the three first centuries, or that crosses, made of wood or metal, were ever used till it was imagined that Helena, the mother of Constantine, had discovered the true cross in 326.1 Burning wax lights in the day-time was used in many heathen ceremonies, for which they are ridiculed by Lactantius. "The Heathens," says he, "light up candles to God, as if he lived in the dark; and do not they deserve to pass for madmen, who offer lamps to the author and giver of light?" But not long after this, these very wax lights were introduced into Christian worship.2 Lastly, processions, which are conducted with great solemnity by the Papists, were also copied from the heathen worship. Among the Romans they were instituted by Numa, and both in the Pagan and Popish procescions the chief magistrates often assisted.* SECTION II. OF CEREMONIES IN GENERAL, AND OTHER THINGS RELATING TO PUBLIC WORSHIP. HAVING made the preceding observations on the places in which the public worship of Christians was performed, and some other things and circumstances belonging to them, I proceed to give an account of what was transacted within the place; but first I shall make a few general remarks on modes and forms in Christian worship. We may take it for granted, that originally Christians had no proper ceremonies in their worship. But after Another thing that was noted by the early Christians, as peculiar to the Pagans, was incense. But so early as the third century, we find this also made use of in Christian churches. And Middleton says, that ". we find not only the incense sellers, but the incense itself, and the thuribulum, taken into the service of the Christian altars, and mentioned by St. Ambrose the sign of the cross, wax lights, and and St. Chrysostom, as of common use, both in the Eastern and Western empire.' But both wax lights and incense were first introduced into the Eastern churches, and from them were adopted in the West. 1 Larroche, p. 538. (P.) Hist. of Popery, I. pp. 31, 32. M. Repos. III. p. 483. 2 "En l'Eglise Romaine, on allume des lampes et des cierges devant les images; et quand les Dévots se trouvent en quelque peril ils vouënt une chandelle à un tel Saint, si par son moien ils en peuvent échapper; témoin cet Irlandois dont parle Pogge Florentin, (in Facetiis,) qui étant sur mer durant la tempeste voua à la Vierge Marie une chandelle de la grosseur du mast du navire, mais quelcun lui aiant dit, Qu'il promettoit plus qu'il ne pourroit effectuer, l'Irlandois lui répondit tout bas, Ne t'én mets pas en peine, si je puis échapper, la bonne Vierge se contentera bien d'une bougie d'un liard.' Les Conformitez des Cérémonies, p. 195. Erasmus, Colloq. Naufrag. tells such a story of a Zealander. 3 Middleton's Letter, Postscript, p. 237. (P.) Middleton introduces this account with the remark, that these ceremonies occurred "after the establishment of Christianity, when the church, as St. Jerome says, 'declined as much in its virtue as it increased in its power.'" Works, IlI. p. 126. incense were introduced, the ceremonial of Christian worship came to be as complex as that of the Pagan worship had been. So much progress had been made in these things in the time of Austin, that he complained of it, saying that the church was so full of ceremonial observances, that the condition of the Jews under the law was much more supportable. But the church, he says, amidst much straw and tares bears many things. But so much were 4 Ibid. p. 189. (P.) Works, III. pp. 99, 100. "La procession du sacrament est une des plus solemnelles cérémonies de l'Eglise Romaine et qui se fait toutes les années avec une pompe Elle a été introduite parmi extraordinaire. les Chrétiens à l'imitation du Paganisme, comme Guillaume Du Choul (De la Religion des Anciens Romains) l'a reconnu disant, que quand les sacrificateurs de la Mère des Dieux faisoient leurs supplications parmi les rues, ils portoient le simulacre de Jupiter; et que par les carrefours étoient dressez des reposoirs pour y mettre son simulacre, ce que l'on fait encore en France,' dit-il, à la solemnité de la Fête Dieu.'" Les Conformitez, pp. 86, 87. Epist. cxix. C. xix. Opera, II. p. 577. (P.) |