A. D. 398. "of the Clerks, shall be void." "The seat of the Bishop' "shall be raised higher than the rest in the church; but in can. 35. $ 5.] [ibid. 2. 9. §7. and 19. "the house he shall recognise the Priests as his colleagues," and "he shall not suffer 2 [Ibid. 2. 3. "wherever they may be." $5.] 4 can. 34. can. 24. [ audito rio] 7 can. 84. [* usque catechu 9 can. 21. can. 25. 66 them to stand while he sits, "The Bishops or Priests of can. 33. "another Church3, shall every where retain their rank, and "be invited to preach, and to consecrate the oblation." "He that shall leave the place", while the Bishop is preaching, shall be excommunicated." "The Bishop' ought not to hinder any person, whether pagan, heretic, or Jew, from coming into the church to hear the Word ad missam" of GOD, till the dismissal of the Catechumens 8" "The menorum.] Bishop shall not absent himself from the Council, without some weighty reason; and in such case shall send a deputy." "The Council shall' reconcile the Bishops, if any difference "shall arise among them." "The 2 Council shall deter"mine any accusation brought by a Bishop either against a "Clerk, or a layman." "If ecclesiastical judges give sen"tence3 in the absence of the party, their sentence shall be null, and they shall give an account to the Council." "An "unjust judgment given by a Bishop shall be reviewed by can. 27. "the Council." "Translations are probibited; unless, for "the good of the Church, by the authority of a Council, in "the case of a Bishop; and in the case of a Priest, or other "Clerk, by the authority of the Bishop." 9 can. 29. can. 30. "Priests" who have the government of parishes, shall obtain "the Chrism from their respective Bishops, before Easter, "either in person, or by their Sacristan." "The Deacon9 "is the Minister of the Priest, as well as of the Bishop." He shall not sit down, but by the Priest's order." "He [qui Sa-shall not speak2 in the assembly of the Priests, unless he is " asked a question." "When the Priest is present he shall [Bingh. 2. "not distribute to the people the Eucharist of the Body of 20. § 2.] "CHRIST, unless by his order and in case of necessity 4." "He [Ibid.§21.] shall wear the Albe during the Oblation, or the lessons." [eroget. This is the first time that I find any mention made of habits ib. §. 7.] can. 38. appointed for the service of the Altar. "Clerks are not to "suffer their hair or beards to grow long." This was the custom of the Romans in those times. "Their profession 15. "ought to appear from their outward appearances; nor 4 can. 40. 5 can. 41. ingh. 13. 14. 11. 6. "should they be curious in their dress or shoes." They A. D. 398. "market can. 47. [' per pla 8 2 3 can. 48. 55, 56, 57, can. 59. can. 68. are not to walk up and down the streets?," nor "places3, nor go to fairs, unless it be to buy, on pain of teas et an"being deposed." "Any Clerk that is absent from vigils, "unless by reason of sickness, shall lose his salary." "All can. 51, [ibid. § 13.] "Clerks that are able to work, shall learn trades, and earn 52, 53. "their living, that is, sufficient food and raiment, either by "trades or tillage, however skilled they may be in the Word "of GOD, without prejudice to their office." Such Clerks55 can. 54, as are envious, informers, flatterers, slanderers, quarrellers, 58, 60, 61, swearers, jesters, or loose in their conversation and discourse6, 62, 63. such as sing at table, or break the fasts, without necessity, are 6. 2. § 10.] condemned. "The Bishop is to reconcile the differences ▾ "between Clerks, or to give information to the Council." "Ordination may not be granted to seditious and revenge- can. 67. [ib. § 6. "ful persons, to usurers," nor "to any under penance, how- and 4. 3. "ever blameless they may be in other respects." "Such $8.] "Clerks' as in the midst of temptations continue diligent in [Infra, ch. 48.] 1 "their duty, are to be advanced to a higher order;" and 1 can. 42. "those that are negligent, shall be deposed." Whoever, can. 50. "Clerk or layman, communicates3 or prays with an excom"municated person, shall be excommunicated.” "Priests "shall grant penance to such as ask for it;" but "such can. 74. 66 penitents as are careless and remiss, shall not be so soon 5 "restored." "If a sick man desire penance", and, before "the Priest comes, he lose his speech or reason, he shall re"ceive penance on the testimony of those who have heard "him. If he is thought to be at the point of death, let ab"solution be given him by laying on of hands, and let the "Eucharist be put into his mouth. If he recovers, he shall [ infundaperform penance for as long time as the Priest shall think "fit." "Should sick penitents recovers, they are not to can. 77, "consider themselves absolved because they have received 78. "the viaticum, till the imposition of hands." "Those who [ Supr. 19. "having' duly observed the laws of penance happen to die marg.] "in a journey or otherwise, without assistance, shall not be "excluded from ecclesiastical burial, nor from having their "memory commended in the prayers and oblations." "Peni"tents are obliged to genuflection, even on the days of "relaxation," as at Easter. "They who are to be 66 2 bap 2 can. 73. can. 75. can. 76. tur] ch. 52. 81. can. 79, can. 82. [Bingh.bk. 18. 2. § 9. and 13. 8. § 1 can. 85. 2 can. 86. A. D. 398. "tized', shall give in their names, and shall be prepared by "a long abstinence from wine and flesh, and frequent imposition of hands." "Neophytes shall refrain for some "time from banquetings and shows, and shall observe con"tinence." "He who on a day of solemnity3 shall go to "public shows, instead of being present at the church-service, "shall be excommunicated;" and in like manner, "whoever+ "is addicted to auguries, enchantments, and Jewish super"stitions." 3 can. 88. 4 can. 89. can. 91. [Bingh. 3. 7 can. 43. 8 9 can. 93, 94. 1 can. 83. 66 66 can. 98. "The energumens or possessed shall be employed in "sweeping the pavement of the church;" "they shall con"stantly attend there, and shall receive their daily subsistence from the hands of the exorcists." "Care shall be "taken of such Christians as suffer for the Catholic Faith; "and the Deacons shall provide a subsistence for them." This Canon, together with the forty-second and the fiftieth, can. 95. relate apparently to the persecution of the Donatists. "Theys "who withhold from the Church the oblations of the dead, << or bring them unwillingly, shall be excommunicated, as "murderers of the poor." "The offerings of such as are at 66 variance, or of these that oppress the poor, shall not be re"ceived." "A special respect1 shall be paid to the aged and poor of the Church." "A layman2 shall not teach in the presence of Clerks, unless by their order." "A woman3, how great soever her knowledge and holiness, shall not teach can. 100. "men in the congregation;" nor "presume to baptize." But this to be understood with an exception, in case of necan. 97. cessity. "A Bishop shall examine the man who is to have "the government of religious women;" "they are not under can. 102. "pretence of their subsistence", to live familiarly with the "Clerks"." "Widows8 who are maintained by the Church, ought to spend their whole time in devotion." "If after can. 104. " devoting themselves to the LORD, they marry, or even after "suffering violence, they shall be excommunicated." These are the Canons of the fourth Council of Carthage, which are highly esteemed by the ancients, and of which the greatest part are observed to this day. can. 99. 7 can. 46. 8 can. 103. 9 XXXIV. Manual labour. The employment of labouring with our own hands, recommended to the Clergy in this Council, was still more earnestly recommended to the Monks; and we have a treatise of St. 5 2. 21. 6. 26, 28. de Op. 42 Thess. Augustine, written not long after, the occasion of which he A. D. 398. thus relates. "When monasteries began to be settled in Retract. "Carthage, some people, in obedience to the command of "the Apostle, maintained themselves by their own labour; "others chose to live by the offerings of religious people, "without working, pretending that by so doing they observed more strictly the precept of the Gospel, where it is said: "Behold the fowls of the air, and the lilies of the field2. The St. Matt. "secular laity took part in this dispute, so that it began "to disturb the peace of the Church. Whereupon the Vene"rable Aurelius bade me write on this subject, which I accordingly did." He3 thoroughly examines those words of St. Aug. St. Paul, If any will not work, neither let him eat. For the Monach. slothful Monks explained them to mean spiritual works; &c. tom. c. 1. § 2, 3, saying, that they instructed, exhorted, and comforted secular 6. p. 476.] people. St. Augustine shews, that the precept of the Apostle 3. 10. is to be understood of bodily labour, but of such labour as does not engross the mind, nor divert it from spiritual things, and that St. Paul has as positively commanded the servants of GOD to labour, as he has their brethren to supply their necessities. He confesses that the Ministers of the Altar have a right to be maintained by the people; but the Monks, against whom he writes, had no such right. He observes, that the greatest part of these indolent Monks had, while they remained in the world, led a poor and laborious life, being slaves, freed men, peasants, and handicraftsmen; adding, however, that it would be a great sin not to admit these men of mean condition to the profession of a monastic life, since they often become great saints. But he requires likewise, that they who have been rich according to their strength. 5 c. 1. § 1, &c. 15. 6 [Bingh. 7. 3. § 10. 7 8 supr. p. 286. ch. 8.] § 16. c. 21. c. 22. should likewise labour. c.25. § 33. He complains that the glory of a monastic life was ob- c.28. § 36. scured by a great number of hypocrites dispersed in all parts, in the habit of Monks; who strolled about the provinces, without being sent to, or staying in, any place. Some," he says, "get money by the relics of Martyrs, if indeed they "are not counterfeits. Some make broad their phylacteries " and enlarge the borders of their garments; others pretend "they are going to their relations living in this or that "country; all of them beg, all exact, either the supplies of Ꮓ A. D. 398. "their gainful poverty, or the reward of a pretended sanctity; "and when their ill deeds are discovered, the title of Monks "which they bear, serves only to disgrace so holy a proc. 31, &c. " fession." Finally, he censures their fondness for wearing Supra, their hair long, which, with the rest of their conduct, gives us reason to think, that these persons were a sort of [vid. not. Massalians?. The Canon3 of the Council of Carthage, which Bin. Mans. prohibits the Clergy's wearing long hair, may also refer to this particular. bk. 19. ch. 25.] 3 can. 44. Sever. tom. 3. p. 962. B.] XXXV. The Arbitrations of the Bishops. In this treatise1 St. Augustine takes the LORD JESUS CHRIST to witness, that for his own choice, he would much rather use as much bodily labour at certain hours every day, as is enjoined c. 29. §37. in well regulated monasteries, and be at liberty the rest of his time, to read, pray, and treat of the Holy Scripture, than be encumbered with so many secular affairs, of which he was Vid. in obliged to take cognizance. He frequently complains of this weight of business, in which charity engaged him in order to follow the precept of the Apostle, which forbids Christians to go to law before pagan judges; and Possidius" in his life speaks of it in this manner: "At the desire of "Christians, or men of any sect whatsoever, he would hear Ps. 118. 2. $ 3. [tom. [ Cod. Justin. 1. Tit. 4.] 1. 7. de Episc. audient. causes with patience and attention; sometimes till the "usual hour of eating, sometimes the whole day fasting, observing their dispositions, and how far each advanced or "decreased in faith and good works; and when he had op"portunity, he instructed them in the law of GOD, and gave "them advice, requiring nothing of them, but Christian "obedience. He sometimes wrote letters, when desired, on "secular causes; but he looked upon all this as a drudgery, "which took him off from his better employments." We find a law of Honorius, dated at Milan, the twenty-seventh of July, 398, which confirms the arbitrations of the Bishops, in these words: “ 'They who agree to have their cause tried "before the Bishop, shall not be hindered; but they shall "receive his judgment as that of an arbitrator chosen by consent, and only in civil matters; this shall not be to the y Long hair was always thought an indecency in men and savouring of secular vanity, and therefore they polled every Monk at his admission, to distinguish him from the seculars; but they never shaved any, for fear they should look too like the Priests of Isis [Supr. 19. ch. 57]. This then was the ancient tonsure in opposition to both these extremes. Bingh. 7. 3. § 6. |