Early English Books Online 2
 All Digital Collections  spacer  Login  
 
Add to bookbag
Title: Lux matutina, or, Some beams and dawnings of early light breaking forth of ancient history discovering the judgement and practice of the primitive times in reference to ceremonies and church-discipline.
Rights/Permissions: The University of Michigan Library provides access to these keyboarded and encoded editions of the works for educational and research purposes. These transcriptions are believed to be in the public domain in the United States; however, if you decide to use any of these transcriptions, you are responsible for making your own legal assessment and securing any necessary permission. If you have questions about the collection, please contact eebotcp-info@umich.edu. If you have concerns about the inclusion of an item in this collection, please contact LibraryIT-info@umich.edu. This statement does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
Print source: Lux matutina, or, Some beams and dawnings of early light breaking forth of ancient history discovering the judgement and practice of the primitive times in reference to ceremonies and church-discipline.
[London: s.n.], 1662.
URL: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A49495.0001.001
How to cite: For suggestions on citing this text, please see Citing the TCP on the Text Creation Partnership website.

Table of Contents
View entire text
title page
THE EPISTLE TO THE READER.
text
Whether the Churches (who had Bishops or Elders, and Deacons for Officers) were particular Churches and Congre∣gations of Christians, for the first four hundred years after Christs Nativity, as Ecclesiastical History seems to demon∣strate by the six following particulars?
1. In most Cities, yea the greatest, where were many Bishops for some hundreds of years, there were at the same time mul∣titudes of Heathens and Jews who had also their Temples and Synagogues, of which you may take these following instances.
2. Some Cities wherein were Bishops, were very small.
3. Several Cities, wherein many Christians may be supposed to have been, had in them several Churches, and several Bishops.
4. That the Christians in these Cities which could not communicate together, did chuse to themselves Bishops severally; so that in most Cities after some time, there were several congregations or churches, and had several Bishops, and all equally owned as Bi∣shops at Councils, and elsewhere.
There were churches, with their bishops, in the countreys and vil∣lages.
6. Many churches over which were bishops, were but particular congregations that met in one place, and many cities had but one place, (wherein they might meet) called a church.
2. Whether Bishops, Elders, Governors, Pastors, Teachers, Priests and Ministers, were not a long time the same persons, and not differing in degree or office, and those Names indifferently given to the same persons, and said to execute the Office sometime of a Bishop, of a Tea∣cher, of a Pastor, a Governor, a Minister, or Elder?
3. Whether these Bishops, Pastors or Elders, were usually cho∣sen by the brethren of the churches or congregations whereof they were bishops, &c. And whether they chose bishops out of the members of their own congregations, or others, as they liked; and that they did choose or reject by by vote of Elders and brethren? and whether by this vote they rejected such as had been then bishops, upon cause; and such as were sent to them either by bishops or Emperors, if they did not approve them?
What were, or ought to be the qualifications and work of Bishops in those dayes.
Of what spirit such Bishops were thought to be of, who usurp'd high Titles, secular Power and Jurisdictiou over other Bishops and Churches, and how this was esteemed of in those times.
What were the practices of these churches when they met and came together, and of their coming together.
Whether in these Churches or Congregations such as were not Bishops, Elders or Ministers, did teach, preach and exhort, and that in presence of Bishops, and by their desire? And whe∣ther any such converted any? And whether by authority of their example, such as have gifts, ought to use them?
Whether in these Churches they admitted Members that recei∣ved the Faith, and put out from amongst them such as sinned, and received them not again toll they repented; and such as were charged with faults, not admitted (till they cleared themselves) to communicate in the Lords supper. And all this done in the open congregations, by general consent.
What esteem both Bishops and Emperors had of the Brethren of Churches, as well as Officers; and whether the Brethren were at Council and publike Disputes, and had Epistles directed to them, their Officers being onely mentioned in the bo∣dies of the Epistles.
Of the Prayers used in the Churches, or the manner of their praying there.
How they encreased their Treasure in these churches, and how they employed it.
How Innovations came into the churches, and what the Writers of those times, and some of the then Bishops thought & said of them; And whe∣ther nothing ought to be imposed but what the word of God commands.
Of the Persecution raised by Christians against their fellow-Brethren, and who were the greatest persecutors amongst the Emperors and Bishops against their Brethren. First of the Bishops.
Whether such as were Arians, and of corrupt Principles, usu∣ally persecuted others, and endeavoured to compel them to their Communion, and got the Magistrate to make Laws, and to give them power and liberty to punish and persecute others that differed from them, and often raised false Accu∣sations against them.
Whether such Bishops who were of the Faith of one substance, ever persecuted others of a contrary mind to them, or com∣pelled them to their Communion? Or if any of them did, whether it was observed as an evil thing, or branded for it in those times? and how they dealt with Heretitks, whe∣ther onely by Scripture and argument, or otherwise?
What the Emperors who were Arians, and inclned to Heresies, did in persecuting their Brethren, and in giving liberty to Bishops so to do, and making Laws about Religion, and what instuence it had upon their Government.
What the Emperors who held the Faith of one substance, did in Religion. Whether they made Laws, and persecuted any, or endeavoured by Letters and otherwise to make peace, &c. and what influence they had upon their Government.
How Hereticks maintained their Principles, whether by Subtilty and Sophistry, or Scripture.
Of the Idolatrous and superstitious practices of some in those dayes about the Worship of God, and the many supposed strange signs and wonders they feigned to deceive with, and bring their superstition into esteem.
How they called any Assemblies Conventicles, shough in the open Churches, and their Bishops present with them; and it often happened that the Arians so prevailed, that those of the faith of one substance were forced out of the publike pla∣ces, and constrained to meet in private, yet very rare, that this meeting was accounted a crime, or any persons punish∣ed for such meeting, by their fellow-Christians,
Of Councils of Bishops, their Canons and Decrees in those times.