*

varnish over the novel practices of the Romish church, and put a face of antiquity upon them: to which purpose, they many times represent ancient customs in disguise, to make them look like the practices of the present age, and offer them to the reader's view, not in their own native dress, but in the similitude and resemblance of modern customs. Cardinal Bona himself could not forbear making this reflection upon some such writers as these, whom he justly censures, as deserving very ill of the sacred rites of the church, and their venerable antiquity; who measure all ancient customs by the practice of the present times, and judge of the primitive discipline only by the rule and customs of the age they live in; being deceived by a false persuasion, that the practice of the church never differed in any point from the customs which they learned from their forefathers and teachers, and which they have been inured to from their tender years: whereas we retain many words in common with the ancient fathers, but in a sense as different from theirs, as our times are remote from the first ages after Christ; as will appear (says he) when we come to discourse of the oblation, communion, and other parts of Divine service. This is an ingenuous confession, and withal a just reflection upon the partiality of the writers of his own church; and a good reason, in my opinion, why we are not to expect any exact accounts of antiquity from any writers of that communion; though some are less tainted with her errors than others, and can allow themselves to be a little more liberal and free upon some occasions than the rest of their brethren: yet even Bona himself, after the reflection he has made upon others, runs into the very same error, and falls under his own censure; and Habertus, though otherwise a very learned and ingenuous person, who has written about the Greek liturgics, as Bona has of the Latin, is often through prejudice carried away with the common failing of the writers of that side, whose talents are chiefly employed in palliating the faults of the communion and cause they are engaged in. So that if we are to expect any exact accounts of church antiquities, it must be from some protestant authors, who can write with greater freedom and less prejudice concerning the usages and customs of the primitive church. But among these there are very few that have travelled very far in this way; the generality of our writers contenting themselves to collect and explain so much of church antiquity, as was necessary to show the errors and novelties of popery; but not descending to any more minute and particular consideration of things, which did not come within the comof the controversy they had with the Romish church. Hospinian indeed, in the beginning of the 1 Reformation, wrote several large volumes of the origin of temples, festivals, monachism, with the history of the eucharist; but as these take in but a very few subjects, so they are too full of modern relations; which make them something tedious to an ordinary reader, and no complete account of primitive customs se neither. Spalatensis, in his books de Republica Ecclesiastica, has gone a little further; yet he generally confines himself to the popish controversy, and has much out of Gratian and the canon law; which indeed served him as good arguments ad hominem against those whom he had to deal with, but it will not pass for authentic history in other cases. Suicerus's Thesaurus Ecclesiasticus is abundantly more particular, and indeed the best treasure of this sort of learning that has yet been published: but his collections are chiefly out of the Greek fathers; and only in the method of a Vocabulary or Lexicon, explaining words and things precisely in the order of the alphabet. The most methodical account of things of this kind that I have yet seen, is that of our learned countryman Dr. Cave, in his excellent book of Primitive Christianity; wherein he has given a succinct, but clear account of many ancient customs and practices, not ordinarily to be met with elsewhere. But his design being chiefly to recommend the moral part of primitive Christianity to the observation and practice of men, he was not obliged to be very partiscular in explaining many other things, which, though useful in themselves, yet might be looked upon as foreign to his design; and for that reason, I presume, he industriously omitted them. There are some other books, which I have not yet seen, but only guess by the titles that they may be of this kind; such as Bebelius's Antiquitates Ecclesiasticæ, Martinay de Ritibus Ecclesiæ, Hendecius de Antiquitatibus Ecclesiasticis, Quenstedt Antiquitates Biblicæ et Ecclesiastica: but I presume, whatever they are, they will not forestall my design, which is chiefly to gratify the English reader with an entire collection of church antiquities in our own language, of which this volume is published as a specimen. And if this proves useful to the public, and finds a favourable acceptance, it will be followed with the remaining parts of the work, (as my time and occasions will give me leave,) according to the scheme here laid down, or with as little variation as may be. I shall next treat of the inferior orders of the clergy, as I have done here of the superior: then of the elections and ordinations of the clergy, and the several qualifications of h those that were to be ordained: of the privileges, immunities, and revenues of the clergy, and the several

J

pass

Bona, Rerum Liturgic. lib. 1. c. 18. n. 1.
b 2

laws and rules which particularly respected their function. To which I shall subjoin an account of the ancient ascetics, monks, virgins, and widows, who were a sort of retainers to the church. After this shall follow an account of the ancient churches, and their several parts, utensils, consecrations, immunities, together with a Notitia of the ancient division of the church into provinces, dioceses, parishes, and the original of these. After which I shall speak of the service of the church, beginning with the institution or instruction of the catechumens, and describing their several stages before baptism; then speak of baptism itself, and its ordinary concomitant, confirmation. Then proceed to the other solemn services of psalmody, reading of the Scripture, and preaching, which were the first part of the ancient church service. Then speak of their prayers, and the several rites and customs observed therein; where of the use of liturgies and the Lord's prayer; and of the prayers of catechumens, energumens, and penitents; all which part of the service thus far was commonly called by the name of the missa catechumenorum: then of the missa fidelium, or communion service; where of the manner of their oblations and celebration of the eucharist, which was always the close of the ordinary church service. After this I shall proceed to give a particular account of their fasts and festivals, their marriage rites and funeral rites, and the exercise of ancient church discipline; their manner of holding councils and synods, provincial, patriarchal, œcumenical; the power of Christian princes in councils and out of them; the manner and use of their literæ formata, and the several sorts of them; their different ways of computation of time: to which I shall add an account of their schools, libraries, and methods of educating and training up persons for the ministry, and say something of the several translations of the Bible in use among them, and several other miscellaneous rites and things, which would properly come under none of the forementioned heads; such as their manner of taking oaths, their abstinence from blood, their frequent use of the sign of the cross, their several sorts of public charities, the honours which they paid to their martyrs, together with an account of their sufferings, and the several instruments of cruelty used by the heathen to harass and torment them. In treating of all which, or any other such like matters as shall offer themselves, I shall observe the same method that I have done in this volume, illustrating the ancient customs from the original records of antiquity, and joining the opinions of the best modern authors that I can have opportunity to peruse, for unfolding points of greatest difficulty. I confess, indeed, this work will suffer something in my hands, for want of several books, which I have no opportunity to see, nor ability to purchase; but that perhaps may tempt some others, who are at the fountains of learning, and have all manner of books at command, to add to my labours, and improve this essay to a much greater perfection, since it is a subject that will never be exhausted, but still be capable of additions and improvement. The chief assistance I have hitherto had is from the noble benefaction of one, who, "being dead, yet speaketh;" I mean the renowned Bishop Morley, whose memory will for ever remain fresh in the hearts of the learned and the good; who, among many other eminent works of charity and generosity, becoming his great soul and high station in the church, such as the augmentation of several small benefices, and provision of a decent habitation and maintenance for the widows of poor clergymen in his diocese, &c., has also bequeathed a very valuable collection of books to the church of Winchester, for the advancement of learning among the parochial clergy; and I reckon it none of the least part of my happiness, that Providence, removing me early from the university, (where the best supplies of learning are to be had,) placed me by the hands of a generous benefactor, without any importunity or seeking of my own, in such a station, as gives me liberty and opportunity to make use of so good a library, though not so perfect as I could wish. But the very mentioning this, as it is but a just debt to the memory of that great prelate, so perhaps it may provoke some other generous spirit, of like abilities and fortune with him, to add new supplies of modern books published since his death, to augment and complete his benefaction: which would be an addition of new succours and auxiliaries to myself, and others in my circumstances, and better enable us to serve the public. In the mean time, the reader may with ease enjoy, what with no small pains and industry I have collected and put together; and he may make additions from his own reading and observation, as I have done upon several authors, whom I have had occasion to peruse and mention: from some of which, and those of great fame and learning, I have sometimes thought myself obliged to dissent, upon some nice and peculiar questions; but I have never done it without giving my reasons, and treating them with that decency and respect which is due to their great learning and character. If in any thing I have made mistakes of my own, (as I cannot be so vain as to think I have made none,) every intelligent reader may make himself judge, and correct them with ingenuity and candour. All I can say is, that I have been as careful to

Dr. Radcliffe.

avoid mistakes as I could in so critical and curious a subject; and I hope there will not be found so many, but that this essay may prove useful both to the learned and unlearned, to instruct the one, who cannot read these things in their originals, and refresh the memories of the other, who may know many things that they cannot always readily have recourse to. Or, if it be of no use to greater proficients, it may at least be some help to young students and new beginners, and both provoke them to the study of ancient learning, and a little prepare them for their entrance upon it. Besides, I considered there were some who fmight have a good inclination toward the study of these things, who yet have neither ability to purchase, nor time and opportunity to read over many ancient fathers and councils; and to such, a work of this nature, composed ready to their hands, might be of considerable use, to acquaint them with the state and practice of the primitive church, when they have no better opportunities to be informed about it. If, in any of these respects, these collections (which were designed for the honour of the ancient church, and the benefit of the present) may prove serviceable toward those ends, I shall not think my time and pains ill bestowed.

THE PREFACE.

[PUBLISHED WITH VOLS. IX. X. OF THE ORIGINAL EDITION.]

WHEN I had finished these two volumes, and completed the whole work that I intended, and sent it to the press, hoping to give myself a little rest and vacation from hard labour; I was immediately called to a new work by a book that was sent me,,bearing the title of Ecclesiæ Primitivæ Notitia, or a Summary of Christian Antiquities. To which is prefixed, an Index Hæreticus, containing a short account of all the principal heresies since the rise of Christianity; and subjoined, A Brief Account of the Eight first General Councils, dedicated to the venerable Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, by A. Blackamore, in two volumes, 8vo. Lond. 1722. I confess, I was very much surprised at first with the title and epistle dedicatory, thinking it to be some new work, that had done some mighty thing, either in correcting my mistakes, or supplying my deficiencies, after twenty years' hard labour in compiling my Origines for the use of the church. But as soon as I looked into the preface, and a little into the book itself, I found it to be only a transcript of some part of my Origines, under the notion of an epitome, though no such thing is said in the title-page. This seems to be an art of the gentleman, and the ten booksellers that are in combination with him, to render my books unuseful, and his own more valuable, as containing all I have said and something more at a less price; which, he says, will be of use to those poor clergymen and others whose genius and inclination lies towards antiquity, but are not able to purchase my books for the dearness of them. But the gentleman imposes very much upon poor readers in saying this, upon two accounts: first, In pretending that he gives them an epitome of my whole work, when yet there were two volumes still behind, which he could have no opportunity to epitomize, because they were not printed. He says indeed in his preface, that I had happily completed my whole work in eight volumes, and gives it a higher commendation and elogium, than perhaps it really deserves: but where he learned that I had finished my work in eight volumes, I cannot understand: I am sure I had advertised the readers, and him among the rest, that I intended two volumes more, which now I give them to complete my design. So that this gentleman deceives his poor brethren, when he pretends to give them an epitome of the whole, when it is only in part; and he must put them to the charge of another volume to make even his epitome complete. But secondly, If this gentleman was so concerned for his poor brethren, why did he make his epitome so large? The substance of my books for the use of such men might be brought into much less compass: there needed no authorities to have been cited for their use, who have no books to examine and compare them; but they might have rested upon the authority of the compiler; whose authority they may more decently and honestly use upon any occasion, than the authority of fathers and

councils, which our author, with me, very well supposes they have no opportunity to see. And further, if our author meant to gratify his poor brethren at an easy rate, why did he clog his epitome, both before and behind, with two long discourses of his own? Sure this was not to make it cheaper, but to put them to more expense, in being obliged to buy his discourses, if they were minded to read any thing of mine. The fair way of epitomizing, had been to have given an abstract of my books by themselves, and printed his own separate from them: this had been more for the interest of his indigent readers, and I believe he will find it would have been more for the interest of his booksellers. I know not what authority he or his booksellers had to reprint my books in effect, which are my property by law. But I argue not with him at present upon that point. If he had done it in a genteel way, by asking leave, and under direction, he should have had my leave and encouragement also. Or if he had done it usefully, so as truly to answer the end he pretends, even without leave, he should have had my pardon. But now he has defeated his own design, both by unnecessary and hurtful additions of his own, which will not only incommode and encumber his books, but render them dangerous and pernicious to unwary readers, unless timely antidoted and corrected by some more skilful hand. For which reason, since they are sent into the world together with an abstract of my Antiquities, I have thought it just both to the world and myself to make some proper animadversions on them. I freely own, that a just and authentic account of ancient and modern sects and heresies, done by a learned and judicious hand, would be a very useful work: and it is what has been long wanted, and long desired by many learned men, who observe the failings of the common heresiologists on all sides: but I cannot see what an account of modern heresies has to do with the antiquities of the church, or how the knowledge of modern sectaries can help to explain the ancient usages and practices of the catholics in former ages. For which reason, our author might have dropped that part of his work without any detriment, to have made his book the cheaper. But whether it was proper or improper to clog his work with any account of heresies ancient or modern, what had been done in either kind, should have been done with care and judgment, and something of exactness, which, after all the compliments he passes on my work, I cannot say of his, and I am heartily sorry that in justice to the world I cannot do it. For some of his accounts are very trifling and jejune, and such as give no light or information to a reader: others are very false and injurious to great men, whom he makes heretics, when they were really the great defenders of the catholic faith: and his whole account is very imperfect, omitting some of the most considerable sects and errors, whilst his title-page pretends to be an account of all the principal heresies since the rise of Christianity. I love not to censure any man without reason, and therefore I will give some evident proof of each particular I lay to his charge; only premising one thing, which I believe will make the grammarians smile: the running title of his treatise is, Index Hæreticus, which in English is not what he calls it, An Account of Heresies; but, An heretical Index: which, I believe, he did not intend should be its character. But if we soften the meaning of the word heretical, and take it only for erroneous; however ominous it be, it is a very just character indeed. For, besides its other faults, it is very erroneous in the characters he gives of very great, and orthodox, and eminent saints of God, who in his account are some of the worst of heretics. I will make good in order the several charges I bring against him.

1. Some of his accounts are very trifling and jejune, and such as give no light or information to a reader. In speaking of the Hypsistarians, all that he says of them is only this," That they were maintainers of a heresy in the fourth century, made up of Judaism and paganism." Now, what is a reader the wiser for all this? This character, being in such general terms only, would serve at least twenty heresies, and a reader would not know how to distinguish them, seeing no particular opinions or practices of Jews or Gentiles are here ascribed to the Hypsistarians, whereby to discern them from other heretics that mixed Judaism and paganism in one common religion. He says in his preface, one of the chief reasons for drawing up his Index Hæreticus was, because in my books I had only touched lightly and in transitu upon heresies, as they made for my purpose, without giving any perfect description of them. Which is very true. But why then did not he give a perfect description of those Hypsistarians, or at least a more perfect one than I had done? He could not be ignorant, whilst he was epitomizing my books, that I had given a pretty good description of them, Book XVI. chap. 6. sect. 2. p. 306. vol. vii., where I say, They called themselves Hypsistarians, that is, worshippers of the most high God, whom they worshipped, as the Jews did, only in one person; and they observed their sabbaths, and used distinction of meats, clean and unclean, though they did not regard circumcision, as Gregory Nazianzen, whose father was once of this sect, gives the account of them. This is some account of them, if it be not a perfect one. Why then did he not give the same or a better account of them, or at least refer his reader to my book, or his own epitome,

p. 335, where he transcribes my account of them? The gentleman was in haste when he wrote his Index, and could not stand to do justice neither to me nor his readers. I could add something more concerning these Hypsistarians out of Gregory Nyssen, Hesychius, and Suidas; but it will be time enough to do that, if I live to give the reader an epitome of my own with some additions. I only remark here, that ! there is no notice taken of these Hypsistarians in Epiphanius, Theodoret, Philastrius, or St. Austin, or any other of the common heresiologists; and that they who speak of them say nothing of their paganism, however our author came to blunder upon it.

His account of the Calicola is much such another as the former: "Calicolæ, or worshippers of heaven, an heretical sect in the fifth century; at which time they were condemned by the Rescripts of Honorius the emperor." It is hard, again, that he could not have referred his readers to the same place of my book, or his own epitome, where they might have found a much better account of them. But this gentleman was to magnify his own Index, and make his readers believe, that he had done great feats and wonders in discovering the tenets of ancient heretics, where I had been silent, or but lightly touched upon them; though by these instances the reader will now be able to judge of the perfection and excellency of his performance.

I will give but one instance more of this kind out of many that might be added. In speaking of the Ethnophrones, he says, "They were heretics of the seventh century, who taught that some pagan superstitions were to be retained together with Christianity." But why did he not inform his reader what these pagan superstitions were? Is there no author that speaks particularly of them? The learned reader may please to take this account from me in the words of Damascen. de Hæresibus, p. 585. Ethnophrones cum gentium instituta sequantur, in cæteris sunt Christiani. Hi natales dies, fortunam, fatum, omnem astronomiam, et astrologiam, omnemque divinationem et auspicia probant: auguria, expiationes, et placationes, sortes, prodigiorum et portentorum inspectiones, veneficia, aliasque ejusdem generis impias fabulas adhibent: isdemque quibus gentes, utuntur institutis. Dies etiam festos quosdam Græcorum probant: dies denique, et menses, et annos, et tempora observant et notant. In short, they were the same with those superstitious Christians, who followed the forbidden heathen arts of divination, magic, and enchantment, judicial astrology, calculation of nativities, augury, soothsaying, divination by lots, observation of days and accidents, and the observation of heathen festivals, of whom I have so largely and particularly treated in two whole chapters, Book XVI. chap. 4 and 5, where I speak of the discipline and laws of the church made against them. And yet this gentleman will bear his readers in hand, that he has given a perfect account of those ancient sects and heresies, which I only occasionally and lightly touch upon.

2. The second charge I have against his Index is more weighty, that many of his accounts of heresies and heretics are very false, and highly injurious to the character and memory of great, and good, and excellent men, whom he makes heretics, when they were really noble confessors and brave defenders of the catholic faith. For proof of this I will not insist upon the characters he gives of Melito, bishop of Sardes, or of Nicholas the deacon; but only observe, that a prudent writer might have softened his character of each. For though Valesius * bears hard upon Melito, and says, with our author, That he asserted God to be corporeal, in a book which he wrote, πɛρì ¦ɛov ¿vowμárov, which Valesius translates, De Deo corporeo : yet other learned persons † think this to be a mistake; since Oɛòç vowμarog does not signify a corporeal God, but God incarnate, or made flesh, or dwelling in the body; which is a quite different thing from God's being corporeal in his Divine nature. And therefore, since thus much might justly have been said, by way of apology, for Melito, our author should not have been so severe upon him, as to style him a heretic of the first ages, who held, that God was corporeal; but have alleged in his favour what so many learned men have said in justification of him; especially considering what both Polycrates ‡ in Eusebius, and Tertullian § in St. Jerom, say of him, That he was a man filled with the Holy Ghost, and generally believed to be a prophet among Christians.

The same apology might have been made, and in justice should have been made, for Nicholas, one of the seven deacons. For though some of the ancients lay the doctrine of the Nicolaitans to his charge; yet, as I show in one of the preceding Books,|| a great many others, particularly Clemens Alexandrinus, Eusebins, Theodoret, and St. Austin, excuse him, and say, The doctrine was none of his, but only taken up by those who pretended to be his followers, grounded upon some mistaken words of his, which had no such meaning.

Vales. Not. in Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 26.

+ Cave, Histor. Literar. vol. 1. p. 43. Du Pin, in the Life of Melito. Suicer. Thesaur. Eccles. voce 'EvowμάTwois. ✰ Ap. Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 24. § Tertul. ap. Hieron. de Scriptor. cap. 24.

Book XXII. chap. 1. sect. 2.