_Of their marriages, their union and public assemblies._
1. WITH all this disengagement from the world, the greatest part of
the first Christians were married. They were sensible indeed of the
vast advantages, which St. _Paul_ observes belong to a single life.
And many accordingly chose it, both men and women, for the kingdom of
heaven’s sake: but they knew, _all men cannot receive this saying_:
and therefore never ♦condemned those who did not receive it. Those
who bred up orphans generally married them young, and usually to their
own children. For interest had nothing to do with their choice, nor
indeed any other consideration but the glory of God. In this, as in
all important affairs, they failed not to consult the bishop; and when
all was fixed, the marriage was publicly and solemnly celebrated in
the church, where it was consecrated by the blessing of the pastor, and
confirmed by the oblation of the holy eucharist.
♦ “cendemned” replaced with “condemned”
2. The happiness of a Christian marriage, is thus represented by
_Tertullian_. “Two Christians bare the same yoke together; they are
but one flesh, and one spirit. They pray together; they prostrate
themselves together; they fast together; they instruct; and they exhort
each other. They are together in the house of God and at the table of
the Lord; in times of persecutions and peaceful times. They give one
another no uneasiness: they conceal nothing from each other: they stir
up one another to praise God, to relieve the poor, to visit the sick,
and not to be weary of offering any of those sacrifices wherewith God
is well pleased.”
3. Such was then the life of particular Christians. None regarded
himself alone. But all the Christians of one place, considered
themselves as only one body. They all knew each other, not only
by their constantly meeting together in the public assemblies, but
likewise by their embracing all opportunities, of opening their hearts
to each other in private. Their joys and their griefs were common to
all. If one received a particular blessing, they all took part in it;
if one fell into sin, they all implored mercy. They lived together
as relations, indeed as allied by nearer ties than those of flesh and
blood; and called each other, _fathers_, _children_, _brethren_ and
_sisters_, according to their sex and age.
4. But the strictest union of all was between the bishops of the church.
They did nothing of importance, but by common consent. Those of the
most distant provinces knew each other, by character, at least, and
held correspondence by letters. And this it was easy to do by means
of the vast extent of the _Roman_ empire; which (as _Origen_ remarks)
seems to have been formed on purpose, to facilitate the preaching of
the gospel. The church indeed soon extended itself beyond the empire
on every side. And the farther it extended, the more to be admired was
that uniformity of faith and manners which was among all Christians:
true religion having corrected in this vast diversity of nations, all
the barbarous and unreasonable customs of its followers. So that the
universal church throughout the whole world, was truly one body, the
members whereof, however distant from each other, were all united in
one faith, by fervent charity.
5. The account which is given by one of the earliest writers of
their public assemblies, is as follows: “On _Sunday_ all that live
either in the city or country, meet together at the same place,
where the writings of the prophets and apostles are read; then the
bishop instructs and exhorts the people. This ended, we all rise up
together (for on all _Sundays_ they prayed standing, in memory of the
resurrection of our Lord) and pour out our souls in common prayers both
for ourselves, and for all others throughout the world. Prayers being
over, bread, and a cup of wine and water are brought to the bishop,
which he takes, and offers up praise and glory to the Father of all
things, through the name of his Son and holy Spirit. The people answer
with joyful acclamations, _Amen_! Then the consecrated elements the
eucharistical bread and wine are distributed to, and partaken by, all
that are present, and sent to the absent by the hands of the deacons.”
But the _martyr_ adds, “Of this food none are allowed to be partakers,
but such only as are true believers, and live according to Christ’s
precepts. For we do not take this as common bread and common wine, but
as the flesh and blood of the incarnate Jesus.”