" As a further proof of the existence of Christian churches in the middle of this century, we have a remarkable story told by Eusebius concerning the martyr Marinus, A.D. 259, in the time of Gal I ienus Marinus,who, being a candidate for a Roman office at Caesarea, was informed against as a Christian, by an antagonist, who pleaded that he ought not to have the office, upon that score. The judge, upon examination finding it to be so, gives him three hours to consider whether he would quit his religion or his life. During this space, Theotecnus, bishop of Caesarea, meets with him, taking him by the hand carries him to the church, and sets him by the holy table, then offers him a Bible and a sword, and bids him take his choice. He readily, without demur, lays his hand upon the Bible, where upon the bishop thus bespoke him : 'And here,' says he, `adhere to God, and in his strength enjoy what thou host chosen, and go in peace :' with this he immediately returned from the church to the judge, makes his confession, receives his sentence, and dies a martyr.
" Optatus takes notice of forty churches in Rome before the last persecution, which, being taken from the Christians, were afterwards restored to them by order of Maxentius, as St. Austin has more than once informed us. We have also read of some Christian churches in Africa, that were demolished in this persecution ; as at Zama and Furni, noticed in the Gesta Purgationis of Cecilian and Felix. Others were taken away ; and, in the mean time, till they were restored again, both councils and church-assemblies were held in private houses, as Optatus observes of the council of Cita. And St. Austin after him says, It was not to be wondered at, that a few bishops should hold a council in a private house, in the heat of persecution, when the martyrs made no scru ple, in the like case, to be baptized in prison, and Christians meet iii prison to celebrate the sacrament with the martyrs, as well as in secluded places.' But not to multiply instances of this nature, the very tenor of the imperial edicts, which raised the last persecution, is undeniable evidence, that the Christians, in all parts of the world, had their public churches, to which they resorted so long as they had opportunities to frequent them ; for Eusebius says, ' the edicts of the em perors of Rome were sent to all the Roman provinces, even to Britain, commanding the churches of the Christians to be levelled with the ground, and the Bibles to be given up and burnt.' This was the last persecution, when Diocletian boasted that he had annihilated Christianity, and proclaimed the extirpation by exulting inscriptions—Nombre Chris tianorum, deleto qui temp& everiehant ; and, Superstitione Christi ubique deleta. But the flame was not extinguished ;
it was again to break forth, for the mouth of the Lord had spoken it. Diocletian had now become hateful ; soon after which he abdicated the throne, and Constantine the Great assumes the imperial sway of the Roman empire." To these remarks we would add some further ones of Mede, and likewise give, at length, some passages referring to this subject, drawn from the writings of the early fathers who were living during the period we are speaking of.
Basil, speaking of the passage before alluded to, of Hare ye not houses to eat and to drink in ? &c., says, that we ought not to dishonour sacred places or things by the mixture of things of common use ; and in answer to the question as to whether the Eucharist may be celebrated in a common house says, that as the word doth not allow that any common vessel or utensil shall be brought into places that are sacred, so like wise doth it forbid that the holy mysteries should be cele brated in a common house ; for neither would the Old Testa ment permit any such thing to be done, nor our Lord, who said, " There is here one greater than the temple ;" nor the apostle, saying, "Have ye not houses to eat and to drink in," &c. Whence we may learn, that we ought not to take our common supper in the church, nor should we dishonour the Lord's supper by eating it in a private house. But if one be necessitated to communicate in private, let them choose out the most clean and decent room for such a purpose-, and withal see that lie do it in the fittest and most seasonable time. St. Chrysostom says, on the same subject, " Behold a further change, that not the poor only, lint also the church itself is injured. For, as hereby thou niakest the Lord's supper a private supper, so thou dealest no better with tho place, in that thou nsest the church as a private and ordinary house." So again, Theodoret, " If ye come together to feast it, do this in your own houses, for to do thus in the church is a manifest contempt, a plain dishonour done to the church. For how can it but seem a thing wholly indecorous and absurd for you to fare deliciously in the temple of God, where the Lord himself is present, who hath prepared for us a common table, when at the same time those Christians that are poor are hungry, and out of countenance by reason of their poverty r The author of the commentaries upon the epistles, alluding to the same text, says, " Ye despise the church of God, making it a place for common feasts and banquetings," and in the same track follow Theophylact and Ucumenius.