XIII. Touching the names of Angels and Saints whereby the most of our churches are called; as the custom of so naming them is very ancient, so neither was the cause thereof at the first, nor is the use and continuance with us at this present, hurtful. That churches were consecrated unto none but the Lord only, the very general name itself doth sufficiently shew, inasmuch as by plain grammatical construction, Church doth signify no other thing than the Lord’s house1. And because the multitude as of persons so of things particular causeth variety of proper names to be devised for distinction sake, founders of churches did herein that which best liked their own conceit at the present time; yet each intending that as oft as those buildings came to be mentioned, the name should put men in mind of some memorable thing or person. Thus therefore it cometh to pass that all churches have had their names, some as memorials of Peace, some of Wisdom, some in memory of the Trinity itself, some of Christ under sundry titles, of the blessed Virgin not a few, many of one Apostle, Saint or Martyr, many of all2.
In which respect their commendable purpose being not of every one understood, they have been in latter ages construed as though they had superstitiously meant, either that those places which were denominated of Angels and Saints should serve for the worship of so glorious creatures, or else those glorified creatures for defence, protection, and patronage of such places. A thing which the ancient do utterly disclaim. “3To them (saith St. Augustine) we appoint no churches, because they are not to us as gods.” Again4, “The nations to their gods erected temples, we not temples unto our Martyrs as unto gods, but memorials as unto dead men, whose spirits with God are still living5.”
Divers considerations there are, for which Christian churches might first take their names of Saints: as either because by the ministry of Saints it pleased God there to shew some rare effect of his power; or else in regard of death which those saints having suffered for the testimony of Jesus Christ did thereby make the places where they died venerable; or thirdly, for that it liked good and virtuous men to give such occasion of mentioning them often, to the end that the naming of their persons might cause inquiry to be made, and meditation to be had of their virtues. Wherefore seeing that we cannot justly account it superstition to give unto churches those fore-rehearsed names, as memorials either of holy persons or things, if it be plain that their founders did with such meaning name them, shall not we in otherwise taking them offer them injury? Or if it be obscure or uncertain what they meant, yet this construction being more favourable, charity I hope constraineth no man which standeth doubtful of their minds, to lean to the hardest and worst interpretation that their words can carry.
Yea although it were clear that they all (for the error of some is manifest in this behalf) had therein a superstitious intent, wherefore should their fault prejudice us, who (as all men know) do use but by way of mere distinction the names which they of superstition gave? In the use of those names whereby we distinguish both days and months are we culpable of superstition, because they were, who first invented them6? The sign of Castor and Pollux superstitiously given unto that ship wherein the Apostle sailed, polluteth not the Evangelist’s pen, who thereby doth but distinguish that ship from others7. If to Daniel there had been given no other name but only Beltshazzar, given him in honour of the Babylonian idol Belti8, should their idolatry which were authors of that name cleave unto every man which had so termed him by way of personal difference only? Were it not to satisfy the minds of the simpler sort of men, these nice curiosities are not worthy the labour which we bestow to answer them.
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Footnotes
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From Κυριακὴ, Kyrc, and by adding letters of aspiration, Chyrch. ↩
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Vid. Socr. lib. i. c. 16. [Ἐν ταύτῃ τῃ̑ πόλει (Constantinople) δύο μὲν οἰκοδομήσας ἐκκλησίας, μίαν ἐπωνόμασεν Εἰρήνην, ἑτέραν δὲ τὴν τω̑ν Ἀποστόλων ἐπώνυμον.] Evagr. lib. iv. c. 30. [c. 31. περὶ του̑ μεγάλου ναου̑ τη̑ς ἁγίας Σοϕίας, καὶ τω̑ν ἁγίων Ἀποστόλων. Ἀνέστησε δὲ (Justinian) πολλοὺς μὲν ἐς κάλλος ἐξησκημένους τῳ̑ Θείῳ καὶ τοι̑ς Ἁγίοις σηκούς.] Hist. Trip. lib. iv. c. 18. [“Hoc tempore imperator (Constantius) majorem Ecclesiam fabricabat quæ nunc Sophia vocitatur, et est copulata Ecclesiæ, quæ dicitur Irene.”] ↩
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Vid. Aug. lib. viii. de Civ. Dei, c. 27. [t. vii. 217. “Nec tamen nos eisdem Martyribus templa, sacerdotia, sacra et sacrificia constituimus: quoniam non ipsi, sed Deus eorum nobis est Deus.”] ↩
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Ibid. lib. xxii. c. 10. [p. 673. “Illi talibus Diis suis et templa ædificaverunt, et statuerunt aras, et sacerdotes instituerunt, et sacrificia fecerunt. Nos autem Martyribus nostris non templa sicut diis, sed memorias sicut hominibus mortuis, quorum apud Deum vivunt spiritus, fabricamus.” See Bingham, Antiq. viii. 1. 8; 9. 8, 9.] Epist. 49. [al. 102. § 20.] ad Deo gra. [t. xi. 280. “Neque illic excusant impii sua sacrilega sacra et simulacra, quod eleganter interpretantur quid quæque significent. Omnis quippe illa interpretatio ad creaturam refertur, non ad Creatorem, cui uni debetur servitus religionis illa, quæ uno nomine λατρεία Græce appellatur … Sancti angeli non approbant sacrificium, nisi quod ex doctrina veræ sapientiæ, veræque religionis offertur uni vero Deo, cui sancta societate deserviunt. Proinde sicut impia superbia, sive hominum sive dæmonum, sibi hos divinos honores exhiberi vel jubet vel cupit; ita pia humilitas vel hominum vel angelorum sanctorum hæc sibi oblata recusavit, et cui deberentur ostendit. Cujus rei manifestissima in sacris literis nostris exempla monstrantur.”] ↩
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The duty which Christian men performed in keeping festival dedications, St. Basil termeth λατρείαν του̑ Θεου̑, acknowledging the same to have been withal τιμὴν εἰς τοὺς Μάρτυρας. Basil. in Psal. cxiv. [ὑμι̑ν μὲν οὐ̑ν, καὶ ὕπνου καὶ ἀναπαύσεως τὴν εἰς τοὺς μάρτυρας τιμὴν καὶ τὴν του̑ Θεου̑ λατρείαν προτιμω̑σιν, ἕτοιμος ὁ μισθός. t. i. 199.] ↩
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[Compare what is said of the Anabaptists, Pref. c. 8; and see Saravia, “Epist. ad N. quendam.” art. 18, in which he reasons in the same way with Hooker, about the names of the days of the week.] ↩
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Acts xxviii. 11. ↩
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Dan. iv. 8. Vide Scal. de Emendat. Temp. lib. vi. p. 277. [“Bel, et Belti, sunt nomina Deorum utriusque sexus. Megasthenes: οὔτε Βη̑λος ἐμὸς πρόγονος, οὔτε βασίλεια Βη̑λτις. Tamen apud Danielem Βη̑λτις est Deus non Dea: cap. iv. ‘Daniel, cujus nomen Belti-schatzar juxta nomen Dei mei.’ ” ed. Paris. 1583.] ↩