CHAPTER III. OF LAWS MORE PARTICULARLY RELATING TO THE life. Sect. 1. this is only to be done by the doctrine of the gospel, which therefore required that he should be intimately acquainted with every part of it. Then, again, he must be able to stop the mouths of all gainsayers, Jews, Gentiles, and heretics, who had different arts and different weapons to assault the truth by ; and unless he exactly understood all their fallacies and sophisms, and knew the true art of making a proper defence, he would be in danger not only of suffering each of them to make spoil and devastation of the church, but of encouraging one error, whilst he was opposing another. For nothing was more common, than for ignorant and unskilful disputants to run from one extreme to another; as he shows in the controversies which the church had with the Marcionites and Valentinians on the one hand, and the Jews on the other, about the law of Moses; and the dispute about the Trinity between the Arians and Sabellians. Now, unless a man was well skilled and exercised in the word of God, and the true art and rules of disputation, which could not be attained without continual study and labour, he concludes, it would be impossible for him to maintain his ground, and the truth, as he ought, against so many subtle and wily opposers. Upon this he inculcates that direction of St. Paul to Timothy, 1 Tim. iv. 13, "Give attendance to read I COME now to speak of such laws as ed to lead a studious more immediately related to their function, and the several offices and duties belonging to it. In speaking of which, because many of these offices will come more fully to be considered hereafter, when we treat of the liturgy and service of the church, I shall here speak chiefly of such duties as were required of them by way of general qualification, to enable them the better to go through the particular duties of their function. Such was, in the first place, their obligation to lead a studious life. For since, as Gregory Nazianzen' observes, the meanest arts could not be obtained without much time, and labour, and toil spent therein; it were absurd to think, that the art of wisdom, which comprehends the knowledge of things human and Divine, and comprises every thing that is noble and excellent, was so light and vulgar a thing, as that a man needed no more but a wish or a will to obtain it. Some indeed, he complains,2 were of this fond opinion, and therefore, before they had welling, to exhortation, to doctrine: meditate upon these passed the time of their childhood, or knew the names of the books of the Old and New Testament, or how well to read them, if they had but got two or three pious words by heart, or had read a few of the Psalms of David, and put on a grave habit, which made some outward show of piety, they had the vanity to think, they were qualified for the government of the church. They then talked nothing but of Samuel's sanctification from his cradle, and thought themselves profound scribes, and great rabbies and teachers, sublime in the knowledge of Divine things, and were for interpreting the Scripture not by the letter, but after a spiritual way, propounding their own dreams and fancies, instead of the Divine oracles to the people. This, he complains, was for want of that study and labour, which ought to be the continual employment of persons who take upon them the offices of the sacred function. St. Chrysostom pursues this matter a little further, and shows the necessity of continual labour and study in a clergyman, from the work and business he has upon his hand, each part of which requires great sedulity and application. For, first, he ought to be qualified to minister suitable remedies to the several maladies and distempers' of men's souls ; the cure of which requires greater skill and labour, than the cure of their bodily distempers: and things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all men." Thirdly, he shows how difficult and laborious a work it was to make continual homilies and set discourses to the people, who were become very severe judges of the preacher's composures, and would not allow him to rehearse any part of another man's work, nor so much as to repeat his own upon a second occasion. Here his task was something the more difficult, because men had generally nice and delicate palates, and were inclined to hear sermons as they heard plays, more for pleasure than profit: which added to the preacher's study and labour; who though he was to contemn both popular applause and censure, yet was he also to have such a regard to his auditory, as that they might hear him with pleasure to their edification and advantage. And the more famed and eloquent the preacher was, so much the more careful' and studious ought he to be, that he may always answer his character, and not expose himself to the censures and accusations of the people. These and the like arguments does that holy father urge, to show how much it concerns men of the sacred calling to devote themselves to a studious and laborious life, that they may be the better qualified thereby to answer the several indispensable duties of their functions. 1 Naz. Orat. 1. de Fuga. t. 1. p. 22. Chrys. de Sacerd. lib. 4. c. 3. 2 Ibid. p. 21. Ibid. lib. 4. c. 4. 5 Chrys. ibid. lib. 4. c. 8. Ibid. lib. 5. c. 1. 7 Ibid. lib. 5. c. 5. Sect. 2. No pleas allowed the contrary. Some indeed, St. Chrysostom says, as just apologies for were ready to plead even the apostle's authority for their ignorance, and almost value themselves for want of learning, because the apostle says of himself, that he was rude in speech. But to this the holy father justly replies, that this was a misrepresentation of the great apostle, and vainly urged to excuse any man's sloth and negligence in not attaining to those necessary parts of knowledge which the clerical life required. If the utmost heights and perfections of exotic eloquence had been rigidly exacted of the clergy; if they had been to speak always with the smoothness of Isocrates, or the loftiness of Demosthenes, or the majesty of Thucydides, or the sublimity of Plato; then indeed it might be pertinent to allege this testimony of the apostle: but rudeness of style, in comparison of such eloquence, may be allowed, provided men be otherwise qualified with knowledge, and ability to preach and dispute accurately concerning the doctrines of faith and religion; as St. Paul was, whose talents in that kind have made him the wonder and admiration of the whole world; and it would be unjust to accuse him of rudeness of speech, who, by his discourses, confounded both Jews and Greeks, and wrought many into the opinion that he was the Mercury of the Gentiles. Such proofs of his power of persuasion were sufficient evidence that he had spent some pains in this way, and therefore his authority was fondly abused to patronize ignorance and sloth, whose example was so great a reproach to them. Others, again, there were who placed the whole of a minister in a good life, and that was made another excuse for the want of knowledge, and study, and the art of preaching and disputing. But to this St. Chrysostom' also replies, that both these qualifications were required in a priest; he must not only do, but teach the commands of Christ, and guide others by his word and doctrine, as well as his practice: each of these had their part in his office, and were necessary to assist one another in order to consummate men's edification. For otherwise, when any controversy should arise about the doctrines of religion, and Scripture was pleaded in behalf of error, what would a good life avail in this case? What would it signify to have been diligent in the practice of virtue, if, after all, a man, through gross ignorance and unskilfulness in the word of truth, fell into heresy, and cut himself off from the body of the church? as he knew many that had done so. But admit a man should stand firm himself, and not be drawn away by the adversaries, yet when the plain and Chrys. de Sacerd. lib. 4. c. 6. 10 Hieron. Ep. 2. ad Nepotian. Nec rusticus et tamen simplex frater ideo se sanctum putet, si nihil noverit: nec peritus et eloquens in lingua æstimet sanctitatem. Mul P simple people, who are under his care, shall observe their leader to be baffled, and that he has nothing to say to the arguments of a subtle opposer, they will be ready to impute this not so much to the weakness of the advocate, as the badness of his cause: and so by one man's ignorance a whole people shall be carried headlong to utter destruction, or at least be so shaken in their faith, that they shall not stand firm for the future. St. Jerom gives also a smart rebuke to this plea, telling his clerk, 1o that the plain and rustic brother should not value himself upon his sanctity, and despise knowledge; as neither should the artful and eloquent speaker measure his holiness by his tongue. For though, of two imperfections, it was better to have a holy ignorance than a vicious eloquence; yet, to consummate a priest, both qualifications were necessary, and he must have knowledge as well as sanctity to fit him for the several duties of his function. Thus did those holy instructors plead against ignorance in the clergy, and urge them with proper arguments to engage them upon a studious life, which was the only way to furnish them with sufficient abilities to discharge many weighty duties of their function. Sect. 3. Their chief studies to be the Holy Scrip tures, and the ap canons of the proved writers and church. But it was not all sorts of studies that they equally recommended, but chiefly the study of the Holy Scriptures, as being the fountains of that learning which was most proper for their calling, and which upon all occasions they were to make use of. For, as St. Chrysostom observes," in the way of administering spiritual physic to the souls of men, the word of God was instead of every thing that was used in the cure of bodily distempers. It was instrument, and diet, and air; it was instead of medicine, and fire, and knife; if caustics or incisions were necessary, they were to be done by this; and if this did not succeed, it would be in vain to try other means. This was it that was to raise and comfort the dejected soul, and take down and assuage the swelling tumours and presumptions of the confident. By this they were both to cut off what was superfluous, and supply what was wanting, and do every thing that was necessary to be done in the cure of souls. By this all heretics and aliens were to be convinced, and all the plots of Satan to be countermined; and therefore it was necessary that the ministers of God should be very diligent in studying the Scriptures, that the word of Christ might dwell richly in them. This was necessary to qualify them especially for preaching; since, as St. Jerom rightly notes," the toque melius est e duobus imperfectis rusticitatem sanctam habere, quam eloquentiam peccatricem. 1 Chrys. de Sacerd. lib. 4. c. 3 et 4. 12 Hieron. Ep. 2. ad Nepot. Sermo presbyteri Scripturarum lectione conditus sit. Nolo te declamatorem esse, 13 best commendation of a sermon was to have it seasoned well with Scripture rightly applied. Besides, the custom of expounding the Scripture occasionally many times as it was read, required a man to be well acquainted with all the parts of it, and to understand both the phrase, and sense, and doctrines and mysteries of it, that he might be ready, upon all occasions, to discourse pertinently and usefully upon them. And to this purpose some canons appointed, that their most vacant hours, the times of eating and drinking, should not pass without some portion of Scripture read to them; partly to exclude all other trifling and unnecessary discourse, and partly to afford them proper themes and subjects to exercise themselves upon to edification and advantage. St. Jerom commends his friend Nepotian for this, that at all feasts" he was used to propound something out of the Holy Scripture, and entertain the company with some useful disquisition upon it. And next to the Scriptures, he employed his time upon the study of the best ecclesiastical authors, whom, by continual reading and frequent meditations, he had so treasured up in the library of his heart, that he could repeat their words upon any proper occasion, saying, Thus spake Tertullian, thus Cyprian, so Lactantius, after this manner Hilary, so Minucius Felix, so Victorinus, these were the words of Arnobius, and the like. But among ecclesiastical writings, the canons of the church were always reckoned of greatest use; as containing a summary account, not only of the church's discipline, and doctrine, and government, but also rules of life and moral virtues: upon which account, as some laws directed that the canons should be read over at every man's ordination; so others required the clergy" afterward to make them part of their constant study, together with the Holy Scripture. For the canons were then a sort of di- | rections for the pastoral care, and they had this advantage of any private directions, that they were the public voice and rubrics of the church, and so much the more carefully to be read upon that account. In after ages, in the time of Charles the Great, we find some laws obliging the clergy" to read together with the canons, Gregory's book de Cura Pastorali. et rabulam, garrulumque sine ratione, sed mysteriorum peritum, &c. 13 Conc. Tolet. 3. c. 7. Quia solent crebro mensis otiosæ fabulæ interponi, in omni sacerdotali convivio lectio Scripturarum Divinarum misceatur : per hoc enim et animæ ædificantur in bonum, et fabulæ non necessaria prohibentur. 14 Hieron. Epitaph. Nepot. Ep. 3. ad Heliodor. Sermo ejus et (leg. per) omne convivium de Scripturis aliquid proponere, &c. 15 Conc. Tolet. 4. c. 25. Sciant sacerdotes Scripturas Sanctas, et canones meditentur-ut ædificent cunctos tam lowed. in the study and use of them. Some tical books was alcanons" forbade a bishop to read heathen authors: nor would they allow him to read heretical books, but only upon necessity, that is, when there was occasion to confute them, or to caution others against the poison of them. But the prohibition of heathen learning, though it seem to be more peremptory, was to be understood likewise with a little qualification. For men might have very different views and designs in reading heathen authors. Some might read them only for pleasure, and make a business of that pleasure, to the neglect of Scripture and more useful learning: and all such were highly to be condemned. St. Jerom" says of these, that when the priests of God read plays instead of the Gospels, and wanton bucolics instead of the prophets, and loved to have Virgil in their hands rather than the Bible; they made a crime of pleasure, and turned the necessity of youthful exercise into a voluntary sin. Others could not relish the plain and unaffected style of Scriptures, but conversed with heathen orators to bring their language to a more polite or Attic dialect. And these also came under the censures of the church. It is remarkable what Sozomen" tells us of Triphyllius, a Cyprian bishop, (who was one of these nice and delicate men, who thought the style of Scripture not so elegant as it might be made,) that having occasion in a discourse before Spiridion, and some other Cyprian bishops, to cite those words of our Saviour, ἆρον σοῦ τὸ κράββατον καὶ περιπάτει, “ Take up thy bed and walk,” he would not use the word κράββατον, but instead of it put σκίμποδα, as being a more elegant word in his opinion. To whom Spiridion with a holy indignation and zeal replied, Art thou better than Him that said páßßarov, that thou shouldst be ashamed to use his words? Thereby admonishing him to be a little more modest, and not give human eloquence the preference before the Holy Scriptures. Another sort of men conversed with heathen authors rather than the Scriptures, because they thought them more for their turn, to arm them with sophistry to impose their errors upon the simplicity of others. As the anonymous author in Eusebius, who writes against the Theodotian heretics, observes of the leading men of that party, that leaving the Holy Scriptures, they generally spent their time in Euclid and Aristotle, Theo fidei scientia, quam operum disciplina. 16 Concil. Turon. 3. c. 3. Concil. Cabillon. 2. c. 1. 17 Conc. Carth. 4. c. 16. Ut episcopus Gentilium libros non legat; hæreticorum autem pro necessitate et tempore. 19 Hieron. Ep. 146. ad Damasum de Filio Prodigo. t. 3. p. 129. Sacerdotes Dei omissis evangeliis et prophetis, videmus comœdias legere, amatoria bucolicorum versuum verba canere, Virgilium tenere; et id quod in pueris necessitatis est, crimen in se facere voluptatis. 19 Sozom. lib. 1. c. 11. 20 Euseb. lib. 5. c. 28. 22 phrastus and Galen; using the quirks and sophisms of infidel writers to palliate their heresy, and corrupt the simplicity of the Christian faith. Now, in all these cases, the reading of heathen authors for such unworthy ends was very disallowable, because it was always done with a manifest neglect and contempt of the Holy Scriptures, and therefore upon such grounds deservedly forbidden by the canons of the church. But then, on the other hand, there were some cases, in which it was very allowable to read Gentile authors, and the church's prohibition did not extend to these. For sometimes it was necessary to read them, in order to confute and expose their errors, that others might not be infected thereby. Thus St. Jerom observes of Daniel," that he was taught in the knowledge of the Chaldeans; and Moses, in all the wisdom of the Egyptians: which it was no sin to learn, so long as they did not learn it to follow it, but to censure and refute it. St. Ambrose says, he read some books that others might not read them; he read them to know their errors, and caution others against them. This was one reason why sometimes heathen writers might be read by men of learning, in order to set a mark upon them. Another reason was, that many of them were useful and subservient to the cause of religion, either for confirming the truth of the Scriptures, and the doctrines of Christianity, or for exposing and refuting the errors and vanities of the heathen themselves. Thus St. Jerom observes, that both the Greek and Latin historians, such as Diodorus Siculus, Polybius, Trogus Pompeius, and Livy, are of great use as well to explain as confirm the truth of Daniel's prophecies. And St. Austin" says the same of the writings of Orpheus and the Sibyls, and Hermes, and other heathen philosophers, that as they said many things that were true, both concerning God and the Son of God, they were in that respect very serviceable in refuting the vanities of the Gentiles. Upon which account not only St. Austin and St. Jerom, but most of the ancient writers of the church, were usually well versed in the learning of the Gentiles, as every one knows that knows any thing of them. St. Jerom in one short epistle" mentions the greatest part of those that lived before his own time, both Greeks and Latins, and says of them all in general, that their Hieron. Com. in Dan. c. 1. Nunquam acquiescerent discere quod non licebat. Discunt autem non ut sequantur, sed ut judicent atque convincant. 22 Ambros. Procem. in Luc. Evang. Legimus aliqua, ne legantur; legimus, ne ignoremus; legimus, non ut teneamus, sed ut repudiemus. Hieron. Prolog in Daniel. Ad intelligendas extremas partes Danielis, multiplex Græcorum historia necessaria est, &c. Et si quando cogimur literarum sæcularium recordari, et aliqua ex his discere quæ olim omisimus; non nostræ est voluntatis, sed ut ita dicam, gravissimæ necessitatis: ut probemus ea quæ a sanctis prophetis ante multa books are so filled with the sentences and opinions of philosophers, that it is hard to say which is most to be admired, their secular learning, or their knowledge in the Scriptures. And herein is comprised the plain state of this matter: the clergy were obliged in the first place to be very diligent in studying the Scriptures, and after them the canons, and approved writers of the church, according to men's abilities, capacities, and opportunities for the same measures could not be exacted of all. Beyond this, as there was no obligation on them to read human learning, so there was no absolute prohibition of it; but where it could be made to minister as a handmaid to divinity, and not usurp or encroach upon it, there it was not only allowed, but commended and encouraged; and it must be owned, that though the abuse of secular learning does sometimes great harm, yet the study of it rightly applied did very great service to religion in the primitive ages of the church. men. Sect. 5. Of their piety and devotion in their God. From their private studies pass we on next to view them in their more public capacities, as the people's orators public addresses to to God, and God's ambassadors to the people in regard to which offices and character, I have showed before" they were esteemed a sort of mediators in a qualified sense between God and In all their addresses to God as the people's orators, their great care was to offer all their sacrifices and oblations of prayer and thanksgiving in such a rational, decent, and becoming way, as best suited the nature of the action; that is, with all that gravity and seriousness, that humility and reverence, that application of mind and intenseness and fervency of devotion, as both became the greatness of that Majesty to whom they addressed, and was proper for raising suitable affections in the people. This is the true meaning of that famous controverted passage in Justin Martyr's Second Apology, where describing the service of the church, and the manner of celebrating the eucharist, he says, The bishop sent up prayers and praises, öon dúvaμ," with the utmost of his abilities to God. Some misconstrue this passage, and interpret the abilities of the minister officiating so as if they meant no more but his invention, expression, or the like; making it by such a gloss to become an argument sæcula prædicta sunt, tam Græcorum quam Latinorum et aliarum Gentium literis contineri. 24 Aug. cont. Faust. lib. 13. c. 15. Sibyllæ et Orpheus, et nescio quis Hermes, et si qui alii Vates, vel theologi, vel sapientes, vel philosophi Gentium, de Filio Dei, aut de Patre Deo vera prædixisse seu dixisse perhibentur; valet quidem aliquid ad paganorum vanitatem revincendam. 25 Hieron. Ep. 84. ad Magnum. In tantum philosophorum doctrinis atque sententiis suos referciunt libros, ut nescias quid in illis primum admirari debeas, eruditionem sæculi, an scientiam Scripturarum. 26 Book II. chap. 19. sect. 16. 27 Justin. Apol. 2. p. 98. c soned the c ally be v un tri u 30 wk 9980s, or set forms communion of strangers, which at least implies • Aus ~ te bere a quite suspension from their office. And the law of Jus . tinian punishes them with degradation," because of the scandal they give to the laity by such neg vaga de sac Nes of the church to God; lects or contempts of Divine service. So careful were Many Vutions as are necessary to make the ancient lawgivers of the church to cut off all ONE IN THIS and praises acceptable unto Him, who indecencies and abuses of this nature, and make the Py - ihm to be presented with all our soul and clergy provoking examples of piety to the people. might; which may be done in set forms, as well as any other way: and so Gregory Nazianzen and Justin Martyr himself use the phrase, öon dúvaμuç, Next to their office in addressing Sect. 7. God as the people's orators, we are Rules about preachto view them as God's ambassadors, ing to edification. where they speak of set forms of praising and addressing themselves in his name to the people. serving God; of which more hereafter in its proper place. St. Chrysostom is very earnest in recommending this same duty to the priests of God, under the name of erovej and vλáßua, care and reWith what exact care, says he, ought he to behave himself, who goes in the name of a whole verence. Which they did by public preaching and private application; in both which their great care was to perform the duty of watchmen over God's flock, and of good stewards over his household. In their preaching their only aim was to be, the edification of the people. To which purpose the great masters of rules in this kind, Gregory Nazianzen, rections. First, That the preacher be careful to orator and ambassador to intercede with God for Chrysostom, and St. Jerom, lay down these few dicity, nay, in the name of the whole world, as their the Holy Ghost, and offers up τýv opiwdesárny make choice of a useful subject. Gregory Nazianthe sins of all! But especially when he invocates Say, the tremendous sacrifice of the altar: with zen specifies the rule in some particular instances, what purity, with what reverence and piety should such as the doctrine of the world's creation, and the his tongue utter forth those words! whilst the an soul of man; the doctrine of providence, and the gels stand by him, and the whole order of the hea- restoration of man; the two covenants; the first venly powers cries aloud, and fills the sanctuary in honour of Him, who is represented as dead and lying upon the altar. Thus that holy father argues with a warmth and zeal suitable to the subject, and such as is proper to raise our devotion, and kindle our affections into a holy flame, whenever we present the supplications of the church on earth to the sacred Majesty of heaven. The Sect. 6. censure of such as neglected the daily service of the church. And this ardency of devotion was continually to be cherished and preserved. To which purpose the church had her daily sacrifices, wherever it Iwas possible to have them; and on these every was indispensably obliged to attend; clergyman and that under pain of suspension and deprivation, whether it was his duty to officiate or not. For so the first council of Toledo determined for the Spanish churches, that if any presbyter, or deacon, or other clerk, should be in any city or country where there was a church, and did not come to church to the daily sacrifice or service," he should no longer be reputed one of the sacred function. The council of Agde orders such to be reduced to the and second coming of Christ, his incarnation, sufferings, and death; the resurrection, and end of the world, and future judgment, and different rewards of heaven and hell; together with the doctrine of the blessed Trinity, which is the principal article of the Christian faith. Such subjects as these are proper for edification, to build up men in faith and holiness, and the practice of all piety and virtue. But then, secondly, They must be treated on in a suitable way; not with too much art or loftiness of style, but with great condescension to men's capacities, who must be fed with the word as they are able to bear it. This is what Gregory Nazianzen so much commends in Athanasius," when he says, he condescended and stooped himself to the mean capacities, whilst to the acute his notions and words were more sublime. St. Jerom also observes" upon this head, that a preacher's discourse should always be plain, intelligible, and affecting; and rather adapted to excite men's groans and tears by a sense of their sins, than their admiration and applause, by speaking to them what neither they, nor he himself perhaps, do truly understand. 32 Naz. Orat. 1. de Fuga, t. 1. p. 15. 33 Naz. Orat. 21. de Laud. Athan. t. 1. p. 396. 34 Hieron. Ep. 2. ad Nepotian. Docente te in ecclesia, non clamor populi, sed gemitus suscitetur; lachrymæ auditorum laudes tuæ sint.-Celeritate dicendi apud imperitum vulgus admirationem sui facere indoctorum hominum est. Attrita frons interpretatur sæpe quod nescit; et cum aliis persuaserit, sibi quoque usurpat scientiam. |