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.”
CHAPTER VII.
Of their persecutions.