§ 101. LITUKGICAL VESTMENTS. 537
in the Old Testament, and undoubtedly passed into the cliurch through the medium of the Jewish Christianity, but of course ',vith many modifications. Constantine the Great presented the bishop Macarius of Jerusalem a splendid stole wrought with gold for use at baptism.
Tlie Catholic ritualists of course give to the various massvestments a symbolical interpretation, which is in part derived from the undeniable meaning of the Jewish priestly garments," but in part is arbitrary, and hence variable. The amict, fo: example, denotes the collecting of the mind from distraction , the alb, the righteousness and holiness of the priests ; the maniple, the fruits of good works ; the stole, the official power of the priest ; the mitre, the clerical chieftainship ; the ring, the marriage of the bishop with the church ; the staff his oversight of the flock.
The color of the liturgical garments was for several centu ries white ; as in the Jewish sacerdotal vesture the white color, the symbol of light and salvation, prevailed. But gradually five ecclesiastical colors established themselves. The material varied, except that for the amict and the alb linen (as in the Old Testament) was prescribed. According to the present Roman custom the sacred vestments, like other sacred utensils and the holy water, must be blessed by the bishop or a clergy man appointed for the purpose. The Greeks bless them ever before each use of them. The Roman Missal, and other liturgical books, give particular directions in the rubrics for the use of the mass vestments.
In everyday life, for the first five or six centuries, the clergy universally wore the ordinary citizens' dress ; then gradually, after the precedent of the Jewish priests' and Christian monks, exchanged it for a suitable official costume, to make manifest their elevation above the laity. So late as the year 428, tlie Roman bishop Celestine censured some Gallic priests for having,
* On the Jewish sacerdotal vesture and its symbolical meaning, comp. Braun: Vestitus sacerdotum Hebrasonim, Amstel. 1698; LuNoins: Die jiidischen Feiligthiimer, pp. 418-445; B^hr: Symbolik des mosaischen Cultus, vol. ii. pp. 61-165.
' The prevailing color of the ordinary Jewish priestly costume was white; tha'i of the Christian clerical costume, on the contrary, is black.
5r?8 THIRD PERIOD. A.D. 311-590.
through misinterpretation of Luke xii. 35, exchanged the uni versally used under-ganuent (tuuica) and over-garment (toga) for the Oriental monastic dress, and rightly reminded them that the clergy should distinguish themselves from other people not so much by outward costume, as by purity of doctrine and of life.' Later popes and councils, however, enacted various laws and penalties respecting these externals, and tlie council of Trent prescribed an official dress befitting the dignity of the priesthood.'
• •' Discemendi a caeteri3 sumua doctrina, non veste, conversatione, non habitu, mentis puritate, non cultu." Comp, Thomassin, Vetus ac nova ecclesiae disciplina, P. u lib. ii. cap. 43.
' Sess. xiv. cap. 6 de reform. : " Oj ortet clericos vestcs proprio congruentes cr^ dini semper deferre, ut per decectiam abitna extrinseoi momm hone8tat«m intrioae cam ostendant.''
CHAPTER Vm.
CKEISTIAN ART.
§ 102. Heligion and Art,
Man is a being intellectual^ or thinking and knowing, morai^ or willing and acting, and cesthetic^ or feeling and enjoying, To these three cardinal faculties corresponds the old trilogy of the true, the good, and the beautiful, and the three provinces of science, or knowledge of the truth, virtue, or pra^'tice of the good, and art, or the representation of the beautiful, the harmony of the ideal and the real. These three elements are of equally divine origin and destiny.
Religion is not so much a separate province besides these three, as the elevation and sanctification of all to the glory of God. It represents the idea of holiness, or of union with God, who is tlie original oi all that is true, good, and beautiful. Christianity, as perfect religion, is also perfect humanity. It hates only sin ; and this belongs not originally to human nature, but has invaded it from without. It is a leaven which pervades the whole lump. It aims at a harmonious unfolding of all the gifts and powers of the soul. It would redeem and regenerate the whole man, and bring him into blessed fellowship with God. It enlightens the understanding, sanctifies the will, gives peace to the heart, and consecrates even the body a temple of tlie Holy Ghost. The ancient word : " Homo sum, nihil humani a m.e alienum puto," is fully true only of the Christian. " All things are yours," says the Apostle. All things are of God, and for God. Of these truths we must never lose sight,