pag 453. which he held Anno 1565 forbids the same thing to all that are Excommunicated XII Ministers shall diligently warn Godfathers and Godmothers to weigh and consider the promises they make at the Celebration of Baptisme and Fathers and Mothers also to choose Godfathers and Godmothers well instructed in Religion and of good Life and Conversation and that may be of their Acquaintance as near as may be and that by their means there may be appearance in case of need the Children may be well Educated CONFORMITY The Author of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy Tom. 2. cap. 7. p. 361 362. under the name of Dennis the Areopagite prescribes just what is appointed by our Discipline Jonas Bishop of Orleans follows the same Steps in the Ninth Century and Establishes by the words of St. Austin the Duties wherein Godfathers and Godmothers stand bound to those which they present to be Baptized it is to what he imploys the Sixth Chapter of the First Book of Instruction of the Layity and the words of St. Austin he makes use of Tom. 1. Spicil pag. 19. are taken out of the Sermon 133 of Time which is in the Tenth Tome of his works Tom. 9. Conc. pag 453. Cardinal Borrome in his first Council of Millan Anno 1565 follows the same steps with the Antients ordering to warn Godfathers of their Duty towards their Neophytes Tom. 5. Spicil pag. 212. both as to Doctrine and Manners where Fathers and Mothers are wanting A long while before this Council of Millan St. Eloy had recommended the same thing to Godfathers and in the Second Book of Capitularies chap. 46. Godfathers are enjoyn'd to apply themselves to teaching Children they have presented in Baptism because they have answer'd for them It is also the subject of a Cannon of a Council of Reims in Reginon Lib. 1. cap. 272. XIII Those which by Trustees shall present Children to be Baptized in the Churches of Rome shall be severely sensur'd as consenting to Idolatry CONFORMITY In the Antient Church those which lived in a Communion separate from others never presented their Children to be baptized in those Societies whereof they were not Members and with whom they held no fellowship nor correspondence in matters relating to Religion and the service of God XIV As for Names given to Children Ministers shall reject as much as in them lies and as shall be expedient those that savour of Antient Paganisme and shall impose on the said Infants the Names attributed to God in the Church as Emanuel and the like and moreover shall admonish Fathers and Godfathers to choose Names approv'd in the Holy Scripture as much as may be possible If they have a desire to some other they may be admitted those abovesaid only excepted and such as may tend to indecency CONFORMITY Dennis Bishop of Alexandria observes in Eusebius That the Antient Christians were wont to give their Children the Names of Peter Paul and other Holy Men as well to shew the Love and Respect they bore those Holy Persons as to render their Children as dear in the sight of God as those Holy Men were St. Chrysostom writes that the Antiochians loved Miletius their Pastor so tenderly that they call'd their Children by his Name for this end forgetting that of their Ancestors And in the Twenty First Homily on Genesis which is in the Second Volumne he Exhorts his Auditors not too lightly to impose all sorts of Names no not even those of their Grandfathers and Great Grandfathers and those which have been illustrious by Birth on their Children but rather the Names of these Holy Men which have been celebrated for their Vertues and in favour with God and elsewhere he complains of those which do otherwise according to which Eusebius speaks in his Book of the Martyrs of Pallestine chap. 11. of Five Martyrs that having quitted the Names they received from their Fathers because saith he they were it may be some Idol Names they took the Names of Elias of Jeremiah of Esaiah of Samuel and Daniel The Fourth Council of Millan whereof we spake on the Tenth Article requires this Custom to be followed I think therefore our Discipline does very well in keeping the medium betwixt too great a Severity and too great Indulgence whereunto the Establishments of our National Synods agree very well on this Article XV. Ministers shall warn their Flocks to behave them with all due Reverence when the Sacrament of Baptism is administred And to avoid the contempt most People make of Baptism either going out of the Assembly or behaving themselves in it irreverently when it is administred it has been thought good that for the future it be administred before singing the last Psalm or at least before the last Prayer and the People shall be warned to bear the same Reverence in the Administration of Baptism as of the Lords Supper seeing Jesus Christ with his benefits is offered us in the one as well as the other Sacrament CONFORMITY In the Fifth Action of the Council of Constantinople under Memma Tom. 4. Conc. pag. 109. which was its Bishop about the Year of our Lord 536 there is a request of the Church of Apamia where is shewn the profound respect one ought to have in the time of administring Baptism thence it is the Antient Doctors do call it a Mistery or terrible Misteries There is in the Euchology or Ritual of the Greek Church an excellent Oration to the Catecumeny which are on the point of receiving Baptisme Pag. 340. Par. 1647 in the which is represented in a touching and Pathetical manner the dignity of this August Sacrament with the reverence and holy fear one should have when one celebrates it Cardinal Borrome in his Fifth Council of Millan assembled Anno Dom. 1579. Appoints all Curates To warn frequently all those which assist at the Celebration of Holy Baptisme Tom. 9. Conc. pag. 616. to bring all manner of Piety Devotion and attention meditating secretly and with care the promises they have made to God when they were Baptized It is not therefore to be wonder'd if St. Chrysostom speaks of the Baptismal Fountain as of a redoubtable and desirable Pool both together In illud fiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 reg Caesor Patrisam Tom. 6. p. â—â—0 and if he Exhorts those which are going to be baptized to prostrate themselves as Captives before their King to cast themselves on their knees lifting up their hands to Heaven where the King of us all saith he is sitting on a Royal Throne because in effect we owe this respect and veneration to his Sacraments at all times that we are present when they are Celebrated XVI The Consistory shall have an Eye over those which without great Considerations keep their Children long from being Baptized CONFORMITY St. Cyprian Ep. 59. pag. 95. or rather a Synod of 66 Bishops of which he was Chief appointed that Infants newly born should be Baptised without deferring too long Baptising them and
according to the Flesh the Divinity remaining impassible that he was buried that he rose again the third day that he ascended into Heaven and that he will come in glory to Judge the quick and the dead to conclude I confess and believe that the holy Virgin is preperly and truly Mother and the Mother of a God which made himself Man Those who desire to be more fully informed of what I have now discoursed may Read the formulary of Nicetas whereof I have made mention on the 3 article of this chapter and in the place I marked After all 't is most certain the Catechumeny were instructed on all the articles of the Symbol which comprehend the principal points of Christianity and the essential and capital points of Religion the Catechisms of St. Cyrill of Jerusalem shew so much seeing he there Explains all those saving truths which those ought to know which fitted themselves to receive holy Baptism in effect they often heard mention made of God the Father and the Work of Creation with the Titles of Father of Almighty and of Creator which are given to him of Jesus Christ and of the work of Redemption with his quality of only begotten Son of God of the Holy Ghost and the Work of Sanctification they were taught there were three Persons in Unity of One and the same Essence that the second Person of the Trinity took on him our Nature in the Womb of the Virgin Mary by the Operation of the Holy Ghost to the end he might dye and by his death make Expiation for our Sins fully satisfie his Fathers Justice for us appease his Wrath and restore us into his Favour They often heard mention made of his Person of his two Natures Divine and Humane of his Imployments and Offices of the Misteries of his Incarnation the Wonders of his Birth the Holiness of his Life the Glory of his Miracles the meanness of his Cross the shame of his Sufferings the power of his Resurrection and the Glory of his Ascension and of his Triumph thence they proceeded to the Explication of the Article of the Holy Ghost whose Divinity and Operations were established Jesus Christ having sent Him from Heaven on the Apostles for the establishing his Kingdom and for Illuminating and Sanctifying those which he was effectually to call to the Communion of his Gospel To conclude they were made understand the Nature of the Holy Church which was to beget them anew unto God of the Graces he bestows on it in this Life and of the Glory he prepares for it in that which is to come All these thing are at large treated of in the Catechisms of S. Cyril which I have cited and they are seen more succinctly in the 7 chapter of the little Treatise of Theodulphus of whom I have also spake and in that of Amalarius Arch-Bishop of Treves Pag. 1151 Par. 1617 dedicated to Charlemain in the works of Alcuin Besides it must not be thought that in the ancient Church they satisfied themselves with explaining to the Catechumenies the things which I but now touched it was also necessary they should give an account in answering the questions put to them on each article according to which Eusebius makes mention in his Ecclesiastical History of a man Lib. 7. c. 9. which had assisted at the Baptism of those which had been newly Baptised and he said he heard their Questions and Answers St. Cyprian in his 70 Epistle speaks also of this custom when he saith the Question it self made at Baptism is witness of the Truth Firmillian Bishop of Cesaria in Cappadocia teaches us the same thing when speaking of a woman which boasted to be a Prophetess he saith that to give the more colour to her Delusions Apad Cypri Ep. 75. pag. 147. She Baptised several persons using the usual words which were wont to be implyed in the Interrogations to the end her Baptism should not seem to differ in any thing from the Ecclesiastical Rule seeing that neither the Symbol of the Trinity nor the usual and Ecclesiastical Interrogations was omitted by her It is to which doubtless the first Council of Arles had regard Tom. 1. conc Gal. pag. 6. when in the year 314 it appointed in the 8th of it's Cannons not to re-baptise Hereticks if after Examining them on the Creed one found that they had been Baptised in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost but only those amongst them who being interrogated answered not this Trinity that is to say to the questions made them touching the Trinity of Persons and unity of their Essence St. Pag. 86. Par 1631 Cyril of Jerusalem has not forgot this Circumstance in his two Mystagogical Catechisms no more than Optatus of Mileua in his 5th Book against Parmenian nor St. Jerom in the 5th Chapter of his Dialogue against the Luciferians nor St. Austin in the 20th Chapter of the 5th Book against the Donatists and he even tells us in his 23th Epist to Bonifacius that when Little Children were Baptised those which presented them answered for them to all the Interrogations which were made and the Author of the Book of Ecclesiastical Dogma's in the Appendix of the 3d. Tome of his Works establishes the same Custom in the 52 Chap. The Author of the Book of Sacraments in the 4th Vol. of the Works of St. Ambrose also observes this Custom in the 7th Chap. of the 2d Book And a great while before Tertullian in the 3d. Chap. of the Book of the Crown had made mention of the Answers of those which were Baptised therefore he could have wished they had deferr'd the Baptism of Children until they were in a state of being able to give an account of their Faith which opinion St. Gregory of Nazianzen seemed also to approve In the book of Sacraments of Gregory I. Pag. 73. it is demanded of the Party to be baptised Do you believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth He answers I do believe Do you believe in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord which was born and suffered I do believe Do you also believe in the Holy Ghost do you believe the holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the forgiveness of Sins the Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting I do believe Do you desire to be Baptised I do Somthing to this purpose is to be read in the book of Sacraments whereof I made mention in the foregoing Section and in the place I noted Besides there 's great probability that St. Peter made Allusion to this practice when he said in the 3d. Chap. of his first Epistle that the Baptism whereby we are saved is not that whereby the filthiness of the Flesh is washed but the witness of a good Conscience in the sight of God the Resurrection of Jesus Christ The Greek Word which we have translated Witness signifies properly Interrogation I add for a Conclusion of these
in their actions that all their study and care tended only to Piety and Virtue without being needful to incline them to it by any great number of Rules so also their Discipline at first consisted in forty little Articles which were composed by the first National Synod held at Paris in the year 1559 whereas that we have at this time contain'd in 14. Chapters 222. Articles much more large and ample than the first The Reason of this difference proceeds from the change which in time hapned to those that liv'd in our Communion and that were Members of our Churches had they always followed the steps of their Ancestors and that they had been faithful Representatives of their Innocence and of their purity they would have stood in need but of very few Rules because the only love of Virtue would have seasoned all their actions animated all their motions mortified their passions and desires and lighted in their Souls a Divine flame which would have raised their thoughts from Earth to Heaven and the which in snatching them by a holy violence from the love of the Creatures would inseparably have fastned them to the love of the Creator But because there is always some remains of Man in Man and that the flesh too often prevails over the spirit they by little and little degenerated from the zeal of their Fathers and their piety insensibly falling into extream coldness they suffered themselves to fall into many defects which dishonoured the Holiness of their Profession and which obliged their Guides to increase from time to time the number of Laws to restrain by the authority of those Ordinances the course of their disorders and to stop the spring of those abuses wherein they wisely followed the conduct of the Primitive Fathers who seeing a great negligence in the lives of Christians added to their Constitutions new Decrees proportionable as the Sins of Men gave them matter and occasion knowing well that 't was the only means to preserve in its purity a Religion which had been cemented by the blood of Jesus Christ and consecrated by his Spirit In conclusion How large soever our Discipline at this time may be and how much soever is increased the number of its Canons I dare boldly say That never was a better Discipline and that there was never seen an Ecclesiastical Policy more judiciously composed than it is if one take the pains to read it without prejudice one shall agree to this truth and unless one be extreamly prepossest with prejudice against it it must be granted that the Constitutions are just that the Rules are holy and that all the Decrees have no other aim but the glory of God and the holiness of those which submit themselves to the keeping of his Laws all the parts of this body answer one the other they march an equal pace and agree all to the same end the form of Government which it prescribes is indeed very simple but it is Evangelical the order it will have one follow is full of exactness and if the Government it establishes is far from splendor and pomp it is wholly bedew'd in justice and equity In a word All that 's contain'd in it was setled with a spirit of love and sweetness After all this what is there can be blam'd in this Discipline Is it the Establishment of its Ministers But there must be such to instruct the people Is it the manner of their Establishment But it is conformable to that which was observed in the Primitive Church Is it the qualities which is desired to be in them But they are the very same which St. Paul requires in those which consecrate themselves to the holy Ministry Is it the Duties whereunto they are obliged But in this also is followed the precepts of the same Apostle seeing they are obliged to preach the Word of God to administer the Sacraments which he has instituted to live unblameably to be an Example to their Flock in word and actions to edifie them by their Sermons and by their Example under pain of great Censures to those which do not discharge themselves as they ought of these just Duties even to the suspending and deposing those which commit Scandalous offences and such as deserve suspension and deposition Shall our Schools be condemn'd But the use of them is too ancient and too necessary for 't is convenient to instruct youth and teach them with care that they may one day be fit instruments in the hand of God for the propagating his truth and for establishing the Kingdom of his Son If any carp at our Consistories it shall be made appear that from the beginning there was in every Church an Ecclesiastical Senate which informed themselves of all which concerned the good and edification of the Flock If any quarrel at our Lay Church Elders we will make appear that their Institution is almost as ancient as the setling of Christianity and that the Primitive Church having used it successfully several Ages we also make use of it with much utility according to its example As for Deacons all the world knows they were instituted by the Apostles and amongst us they answer very well to the design of their Institution for they take care of the Poor and distribute to them the gifts and charity of good people as their true Patrimony As to the Union of the Churches St. Paul declares sufficiently of what importance it is when he exhorts us to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace and to be one body and one spirit as being called to the hope of one and the same vocation The ancient Doctors have recommended nothing with more care than this holy union nor censur'd any thing with more ardor and zeal than the Divisions and Schisms which divide the Church and tear to pieces the seamless Coat of our Lord Jesus Our Colloquies are nothing else in effect but Assemblies of Ministers and Elders of some certain Association or part of a Country deputed by their Churches to deliberate all together of Affairs which offer and do concern the quiet and comfort of those which sent them so that they cannot be condemned without censuring at the same time the Synods which are called Diocesan to which they have no little resemblance Who can find any fault with our Provincial and National Synods seeing they are grounded on the practice of the Primitive Church and on the authority of the Canons which so frequently recommend the holding and calling of them One must be very ill humoured to blame what we do in our Assemblies all the holy Exercises whereof consist in Invocating the Name of God in Singing of Psalms in Preaching his Word and in the administring the Sacraments These Sacraments being the Seals of his Covenant and Symbols of our Redemption they cannot be Celebrated with too great respect nor too much reverence cannot be shewn when they are administer'd and 't is this respect and reverence which has been
usual Sermons Those who have received the gift of Writing shall be chosen by the Provinces and if it happens any Book be Publish'd against the Orthodox Religion it shall be sent to them that they may answer it a Colloque being deputed in each Province to inspect what shall be Writ and Publish'd to dispose of the Copies as shall be thought fit CONFORMITY There was never greater Liberty of Writing than in the first Ages of the Church at which time every body writ in the manner which he thought best and most convenient without being obliged to communicate his Works to any to be Examin'd for their Approbation nevertheless seeing there has been at all times amongst Christians some Bishops and Pastors fitter for this purpose than others such were for the most part employ'd for the defence of the Truth against Schismaticks and Hereticks It was for this Cause that the Book of Phaebadius or Phaegadius Bishop of Agen in Guien written against the Arrians of the East and West holds the Degree of the Epistle of a Council of Vaison of the Year 358. P. 3. Paris 1666. and bears the Name in the Supplement of the Councils of France St. Austin even to his Death was the Pen of Africa against the Enemies of the Church particularly against the Donatists and Pelagians and St. Fulgentius in the following Age succeeded him in a manner in the same Office especially during the time that above Sixty African Bishops of which Number he was one was Exil'd into the Isle of Sardegnia for although he was the youngest of them all the Author of his Life does observe that he was the Mouth and Spirit And it may yet be said of these two famous Writers That they exactly observed the Modesty Sobriety and Decorum prescribed by our Discipline to all those who put Pen to Paper for the Defence and Vindication of Truth Examples which should be carefully imitated and in the mean time condemn the rashness of Agobard Bishop of Lyons who Writing in the 9th Century against Amalarius Fortunatus cruelly rails against him and much more that of Lucifer Bishop of Caillari against the Emperor Constantius in the Library of the Fathers Tom. 9. of the Edition of Paris 1644. XVI Ministers should not pretend Precedency one over the other CONFORMITY S. Jerom informs us in in his Commentaries upon the Epistle to Titus and in his Letter to Evagrius That at the beginning of Christianity the Churches were Govern'd by the joynt advice of the Priests or Elders and this form of Government lasted until that by the instinct of the Devil there arose Parties in Religion saith the same St. Jerom for then recourse must be had to Election so that to avoid Schisms and Divisions one of the Company was chose to whom Election gave the precedency to all the rest whereas before it was the time of promotion as is testified by the Deacon Hillary in his Commentaries upon the 4th Chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians amongst the Works of St. Ambrose for he saith That at first the Priests were called Bishops and that the one being Dead the other Succeeded that is to say That it was granted to the Ancientest Priest in promotion to bear the first rank or place this primacy being a primacy of Order and not of Power and Authority over others the only primacy forbidden by our Discipline in effect the first admitted held the first place in the Pesbytery just as the Dean amongst Councellors of Parliament or as the Dean of Prebends in a Chapter From hence it is also that after the Establishing of the Hierarchy in the Church Equality was still observed amongst the Clergy except 't was in the Power of Metropolitans over the Bishops of their Provinces and also it was a very limitted Power seeing it consisted only in the right of calling the Synods of their Provinces to preside and to take notice of all Ecclesiastical matters which passed in the compass of their District only but could not decide nor determin without the consent of their Suffragans after the manner of speaking at this time As for all the rest they had no kind of prerogative but the Order according to the time of their Reception the which is punctually observ'd amongst us and accordingly St. Austin finds it strange that in the Letter which the Primate of Numidia writ to his Brother Bishops to Assemble them in a Synod I say he thinks it strange to see himself named the third in it knowing that there were several others before him which saith he is injurious to others and exposes me to envy Ep. 207 To. 2. And in the Life of St. Fulgentius Bishop of Rusp in Africa which the Jesuit Chifflet caus'd to be Printed at Dijon An. Dom. 1649. with the Works of the Deacon Forran it is observed Chap. 20. That in the Assemblies of Exil'd Bishops in Sardignia he was seated lowest of all although he was the most considerable in Worth and Value because he had been last of all Ordain'd to be Bishop Tom. 4. Conc. p. 422. The 86th Canon of the African Code so appoints it the 24th of the first Council of Prague in the Year 563. Ordains the same thing as also the 3d of the 4th Council of Toledo in the Year 633. and the 112th Letter of Gregory I. his 7th Book to which we may add the 6th Letter of Hincmar Chap. 16. in the 16th Tome of the Library of the Fathers Ibid. p. 581. Page 408. It is the Reason that in Africa one was enjoyn'd to observe the precise day of Promotion and the Consulat African Code Can. 89. which is the 14th of Mileva Theodore Archbishop of Canterbury held a Synod Anno 679. the 8th Canon whereof is conceiv'd in these terms Apud Bedan Hist l. 4. c. 5. Let no Bishop prefer himself before another through ambition but let every one know the Time and Order of their Ordination XVII Ministers shall preside in Order in their Consistories to the end that none might pretend superiority over each other and none of them shall give testimony of any matter of importance until they have first communicated it to the Ministers his Brethren and Companions CONFORMITY This Article is only a continuance of the former for if there is to be an Equality amongst Ministers so that they cannot pretend superiority one above the other it is just that when there are several in one Church that they should preside every one in his Turn and Rank in the Consistory and that none of them should do any thing of his own head without taking along the advice of his Brethren and even of all those who have share in the conduct of the Flock especially when there is question of any thing of importance XVIII Heed shall be taken to avoid the Custom practis'd in some places of deputing certain Ministers by the Provincial Synods to visit Churches the Order hitherto used being sufficient to have cognisance
of abuses And this new sort of Offices and Degrees are condemn'd and look'd upon to be of dangerous consequence as also are to be rejected all Titles of Superiority as Ancients of Synods Superintendents and others of like nature The Advertisements for Assembling Colloquies and Synods or any thing relating thereunto shall be addressed to a Church and not to a private Minister or other particular Member of it if they should happen to be directed to one of the Ministers or Elders for some considerations those which shall receive them shall carry them to the Consistory to advise and deliberate of them CONFORMITY There is nothing in this Discipline which is not intirely agreeable to the Primitive according to which every Bishop was only obliged to visit his Diocess once a Year but he was not permitted to visit any other but his own I say in the first place he was obliged to visit his Diocess as may easily be proved by a great many Canons the 8th of the Council of Tarragona in the Year 517. is formal in it Tom. 3. Concil Paris p. 803. 1636. We appoint by this Constitution That the Ancient Vse be observ'd and that each Bishop visit the Churches of his Diocess The 35th of the 4th of Toledo in the Year 633. renewed this Decree with this Clause That if the Bishop were sick or employed elsewhere he should cause the Visitation to be made by some of his Priests or Deacons This restriction opened the door to the negligence of Pastors which did that by others which they should have done themselves whereas had the Canon of Tarragona been lest in its force and without bringing any qualification to it the Bishops would not have failed punctually to have observed it Nevertheless the Council of Trent in the 24th Session Chap. 3. of Reformation made no difficulty to follow the mitigation of the Council of Tolledo although it does but too much favour the stupidness of Overseers which our Kings having mutually consider'd in the 9th Century they made sundry Ordinances whereby they enjoin'd Bishops themselves only to visit yearly their Diocesses Lib. 7. Capit. Cap. 94 109. of the Edition of Paris 1588. There are besides several other Capitularies which prescribe the same thing but are not necessary here to be recited Therefore I proceed to the other Consideration To shew that a Bishop had no right of inspection but on his own Diocess beyond which he was not permitted to meddle Thence it was that the Council of Antioch in the Year 341. declares in the 9th Canon That each Bishop has power in his own Diocess prudently to Govern it and to take care of the whole Circuit which depends of the City where he dwells and in the 22d Canon this Rule is made That a Bishop do not go to another City which is not under his Conduct nor into any part of the Country which don 't belong to him there to Ordain any one nor to settle Priests or Deacons subject to another Bishop if it be not done by consent of the Bishop of the place and if there be any Bishop so bold to do such things That the Ordination he has made be void and as for him let him be censur'd by the Synod And as this Council prohibits Bishops to enterprise any thing without their Diocess that of Constantinople of the year 381. forbids it to Metropolitans out of their Provinces Canon 2d And as for the Titles of Superiority which is disallowed by our Discipline besides that they are contrary to the simplicity of the Gospel and to the Equality which was at first amongst Pastors the Church of Africa had in a manner banish'd them quite from amidst of it to incline the Bishops to humility and to remove from their minds all thoughts of Pride and Ambition for it made this Canon which is the 39th in Mr. Justell's African Code Let none call Prince of Bishops or High Priest or any thing of like nature the Bishop of the highest See but let him only be called Bishop of the first See St. Cyprian had said a great while before of himself De Haeret. Baptiz p. 282. Vol. Edit Paris 1666. and the Bishops in Africa Let none of us assume to be called Bishop of Bishops or as is read in some Copies None of us have resolved with our selves to be called or termed Bishop of Bishops XIX A Minister cannot together with the holy Ministry Practise Physick or the Law nevertheless he may for Charity give Counsel and Assistance to them which are sick of his Flock in the neighbouring parts provided it don't hinder him from doing the duty of his Charge and that he makes no gain of it except it be in times of trouble and persecution when he cannot exercise his calling in his Church and is not maintained by it to avoid the study of Law or other distraction to addict themselves wholly to their Office and to the study of the holy Scriptures and Divinity And against those which refuse to yield obedience the Colloquies and Synods are warn'd to proceed according to Order of the Discipline as also against those which so employ themselves in teaching youth that it may in some measure hinder them from attending to their principal Employment to which the Provincial Synods Colloquies and Consistories shall have regard even to the suspending of Ministers CONFORMITY It is said that Philosophy requires the whole Man it may more truly be averr'd of the Ministry of the Gospel to the Functions whereof one should apply all their time and all their study so far unfit it is to think one shall be able to exercise any other Calling with that of the Ministry for example that of Physick therefore amongst us it is not permitted for a Minister to undertake any other Profession with the Ministry a Pastor may have some insight in the Law and in Physick and also may use it charitably for the good of his Neighbours in giving Counsel to some and affording Ease to others as Theodotus Bishop of Laodicea did of whom Eusebius speaks so advantagiously Hist Eccles l. 7. c. 32. p. 288. but with all that 't is requisite one should apply himself intirely to the good of his Flock and that one can't with safe Conscience rob it of a great part of the time which belongs to it to employ it in the Exercise of any other Profession to the prejudice of that whereunto it is principally dedicated Thence it is that the 10th Canon of the Council of Mayence in the year 813 Tom. 2. Concil Gall. and the 100 of that of Aix la Chapell in the year 816. prohibit Ecclesiasticks of taking any thing for helping any sick persons by the Rules of Physick which was not unknown to them Doubtless for warning them that having been Consecrated to the Service of the Church they ought not to spend time in the common practise of Physick by the knowledg of which they have liberty in certain
the Mysteries of Piety and of Religion It was for this Reason that from the very first beginning of Christianity they had publick Schools wherein the principal Matters and Fundamental Points of the Religion of the Son of God was taught as has been proved on the 13th Article of the 1st Book Now to descend lower I observe that Charlemain who may be looked on as the first restorer of Sciences in a great part of the West I say he took care to settle Schools in Monastries and Episcopal Houses for the Instruction of Youth it is what he particularly enjoins in his Capitulary Tom. 2. Conc. Gall. p. 152. c. 72. Ib p. 215. c. 19 20. in the year 789. Theodulph Bishop of Orleans declares in his made Eight years after the other That there were several Schools in his Diocess which he names and moreover appoints to have others in the Country and in Villages The 2d Council of Chalous on Soan made a Decree in the year 813. Ib. p. 308. Can. 3. which deserves here to have its place It is requisite that according to the command of the Emperor Charles a Prince endowed with singular Sweetness Force Prudence Justice and Temperance Bishops should Establish Schools where the Doctrine and Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures may be Learned and where persons may be instructed of whom our Saviour may justly say Ye are the Salt of the Earth and may be the savour of the People and whose Doctrine may not only resist sundry Heresies but also the temptations of Antichrist and the Antichrist himself and that so it may justly be said of them in praise of the Church A Thousand Bucklers and the Arms of Men of might are there The Synod of Paris Ib. lib. 3. p. 549. Can. 12. term'd the VI. in the Year 829. make request to Lewis the Debonnair in following his Predecessors steps That he will be pleas'd by his Authority to procure the Establishment of some publick Schools at least in three of the most convenient places of his Empire to the end that his Father's and his pains might not be in vain Besides that this Establishment would be very useful and glorious to the Church of God and that by this Action he would make his name Immortal The Council of Meaux Tom. 3. Conc. Gall. p. 41 42. Can. 35. in the Year 845. requires that each Bishop has a Learned Man of a good and unblameable Life to teach and instruct Priests which have the care and conduct of People in the truth of Faith and in the observation of God's Commandments and to enable them to Preach that the Light of the Word of God may shine always in the House of God which is the Temple of the Living God It is also the substance of the 18th Canon of the 3d Council of Valentia in Dauphine Ib. p. 104. assembled Ten years after that of Meaux of the 34th of a Roman Synod held in the 9th Century Collect. Rom. Part 2. p. 43 89. under Pope Eugenius the 2d and which is repeated and inlarged in another under Leo the IVth in the same Century II. The Regents and School-masters shall sign the Confession of Faith and the Ecclesiastical Discipline and the Cities and Churches shall not receive any without the consent of the Consistory of the place CONFORMITY The Regents and Masters of Schools which serve in our Academies especially Professors of Divinity being called to teach their Scholars the same Truths as those Ministers are oblig'd to Preach to their Congregations and to have them live under the Law of the same Discipline it is just they should as well as the Ministers sign our Confession of Faith and our Discipline to the end their Lessons may be always conformable to the former and their Actions to the latter as well in regard of themselves as of those which depend on their Conduct I will not here repeat what I have said on the 9th Article of the 1st Chapter and which may conveniently be applied to that we now Examine it shall suffice to add that what we expect of our Regents is in substance the same thing as the Protestations made by Doctors in Universities amongst the Latins Not to say nor write any thing contrary to the Holy Scriptures and the Decrees of Councils III. The Doctors and Professors in Divinity shall be Elected by the Synod of the Province where the Academies are and shall be Examin'd as well by the Lessons they shall make on the Old and New Testament according to the Authentick Texts of Hebrew and Greek which shall be delivered to them as by Disputation of one or more days as shall be thought fit and being found capable if they are not Pastors the hand of fellowship shall be given them having first of all promised faithfully and diligently to discharge their Duty and to Teach the Scripture with all purity according to the Analogy of Faith and according to the Confession of our Churches which they shall subscribe CONFORMITY The Council of Chalons which was cited upon the first Article refers to Bishops and by consequence to their Synods the Choice and Establishment of those which are to Teach Divinity and the Mystery of Salvation and that of Meaux which we also cited on the same Article prescribes the Gifts and Qualities as well for the Doctrine as the Life and Conversation so that we may say it amounts near to the Establishment of our Discipline if you except only the form and manner of installation whereof these two Councils make no mention at all Pope Alexander the 3d Tom. 7. Concil part 2. p. 660. in his Lateran Council An. 1189. uses the 18th Canon to provide for the establishing and preserving of Schools in appointing Pensions to Masters and Regents it is the subject of the 11th Canon of another Lateran Council 36 years after that under Innocent the 3d which also declares There ought to be in each Metropolitan Church a Doctor in Divinity to expound to Priests and others the Holy Scriptures and to instruct them in things necessary for the guide of Souls IV. To the end there might be always good store of Pastors and that Churches may be always well provided with persons capable to conduct them and to Preach the Word of God the Churches are advertis'd to Elect hopeful Scholars such as are already well advanced in Learning to keep them at Vniversities that there they may be fitted and prepared to be employed in the Holy Ministry incouraging the Children of poor Ministers which are apt for Learning whereof the Colloques shall take notice Kings Princes and great Lords shall be desired and Exhorted to assist herein and to contribute part of their Revenue as also opulent Churches The Colloques and Provincial Synods shall give advertisements where and when they shall see occasion and shall use all convenient means that things so necessary might be brought to good effect and if single Churches can't do it
That the Synod of the Province administer all things which concern the Province as it hath been agreed on at Nice That is to say in the VI. Canon of the Great Council which was held in that City under the Emperor Constantine and which ordained to preserve to each Province their Priviledges According to which if there hapned dispute about any point of Doctrine or Discipline which regarded Christians in general it would not be decided but by a general Universal Council that is to say by a Council compos'd of Bishops of the Five Patriarchs within the compass whereof were inclosed the Christians of the Roman Empire In Append. Tâ— 8. Thence it is that the Frier Maximus in Barronius acknowledged no Legitimate Council unless it has a Circular Letter made by consent of the Patriarchs John Damacen writes To. 2. Auct Court f. p. 696. That ought to be esteem'd an Oecumenical Council which the five Patriarchs have once appointed and made Declaration of But if there wants any one Patriarch or that he refuses to submit thereunto it shall not be a Council but a perverse Congregation an Assembly of Pride and Vanity In Collect. Rom. Part 1. p. 227. It is also for the same reason Pope Pelagius the I. wrote in the VI. Century That if there arises doubt in any ones mind by occasion of a Vniversal Synod those which are desirous of their Salvation must consult the Apostolical See to know the reason of what they do not understand In the Preliminaries of the Second Council of Nice it is observed there were read some Writings of Synods which prohibited the assembling of Universal Councils or at least of holding them without the consent of all the Patriarchs To. V. Con. p. 518. III. The Churches and particular Persons shall be advertis'd not to separate from the Sacred Vnion of the Body of the Church for any Persecution as may happen to procure to themselves any Peace or Liberty apart those which do otherwise shall be sensur'd as the Colloques and Synods shall think expedient CONFORMITY Partialities and Divisions having been ever destructive to the Church Union and Concord can never be too much recommended to those which are Members of it and which in this Quality are obliged inviolably to maintain Peace and Uniformity in Religion as well in regard of Doctrine as of Worship and Discipline It is the Reason for which the Antient Fathers have alwaies abhorred Schism and have vigorously acted against Schismaticks particularly against the Novatians and Donatists which cruelly rent and tore the Unity of the Church IV. The Disputes of Religion with Adversaries shall be order'd in such sort that ours shall not be Agressors and if they are ingaged in a verbal Dispute they shall do it but by the Rule of the Holy Scriptures not giving too much way to Writings of Antient Doctors for Judging and Deciding of Doctrines and shall not enter into Regular Disputes but by Writings mutually given and sign'd And as for publick Disputes shall not ingage therein but by advice of their Consistory and a certain number of Pastors which to this purpose shall be chosen by the Colloques or Provincial Synods Shall not ingage in any general Dispute or Conference without the Advice of all the Churches assembled in a National Synod on pain of the Ministers which shall therein enter to be declar'd Apostates and Deserters of the Vnity of the Church CONFORMITY There is found in the Writings of the Holy Fathers sundry Disputes which the Catholick and Orthodox Doctors have had against the Enemies of the Truth We have in the Second Century the famous Dispute of St. Justin Martyr against Tryphon the Jew who was the Agressor Eusebius makes mention of another Dispute which hapned at Ancyra a City in Gallatia towards the end of the same Century betwixt a Catholick Doctor and some of the Sect of Montanus In the Third Century Malchus a Priest of the Church of Antioch Disputed earnestly a ainst Paul of Samosatia Bishop of the Place and confounded him in a Regular Dispute the particulars of which was to be seen in the time of Eusebius they having been collected by Persons nominated to write what should be alleadged on both parts In the same Century was seen another famous Dispute betwixt Archelaus Bishop of Mesopotamia and the Heretick Manes in the House of a Person of Quality called Marcellus in the City of Caschara in presence of the chief Inhabitants of the place four of which although Pagans were chosen Arbitors and judged the Victory to Archelaus This Dispute has been printed in Latin some years past at the end of the Late Mounsieur Valois his Notes on the Ecclesiastical History of Socrates and Zozomen and St. Epiphanius treats amply of it in the Heresie of the Manicheans which is the Sixty Sixth I may instance in several Disputes principally those of St. Austins against sundry Adversaries but what I have said sufficiently justifies that the Order of our Discipline don't differ from the Practice of the Antient Church although it appoints something more of caution in the manner of Disputing by reason of the way of our former and present circumstances of living amongst our Enemies in this Kingdom V. The Churches should understand that the Ecclesiastical Assemblies of Colloques and Synods as well Provincial as National are the Bands and Supports of Vnion and Concord against the Schisms Heresies and all other inconvenients to the end they should use all endeavour and apply themselves by all means that the said Ecclesiastical Assemblies may be continued and maintained and in case some Churches and particular Persons would not contribute to the Charges needful to be present at the Ecclesiastical Assemblies such shall be surely sensur'd as Deserters of the Holy Communion which should be amongst us The Minister also which shall not promote what is above contained shall be grievously sensur'd by the Provincial Synod CONFORMITY There is nothing in all the Antient Discipline which is more strictly enjoyn'd than the holding of Synods where the Conductors of Churches were obliged to be as shall be shewn on the Eighth chap. and where by consequence they were to go at the charge of the Churches which they serv'd this is collected from the Eighteen Cannon of the Third Council of Toledo assembled in the Year of Our Lord 589 for it ordains that instead of assembling in Synods twice a year according to the Order of the Cannons Tom. 4. Conc. p. 405. they shall assemble but once by reason of the poverty of the Churches of Spain CHAP. VII Of COLLOQUES ARTICLE I. IN each Province there shall be a Division of Churches according to the Number of them and the conveniencie of Places into Classes or Colloques the most contiguous And this Partition shall be made by Authority of the Provincial Synod And the Neighbour Churches shall so assemble in Colloques twice a year or four times a year if it may be done according
towards it by putting the Cup as near their Mouth as they possible can to avoid giving any manner of Offence CONFORMITY This is a wise and charitable condescendence towards an insurmountable weakness of Nature it was by this Principle the Antient Church gave the Sacrament mixt and soaked to those who lay at the point of Death Apud Euseb l. 6. c. 44. so it was practis'd in the Third Century towards a certain Old Man called Serapion who was a dying Penitent for a Priest of Alexandria sent by a Young Man a little or a Portion of the Sacrament commanding it should be steept and put in the Old Mans mouth that he might swallow it down but this was not done but in case of great necessity as Hugh Maynard a Learned Benedict in observes in his Notes on the Book of Sacraments of Gregory the First The same favour was used towards Young Infants in the times as they were admitted to the participation of the Sacraments and not that only but Pope Paschal who succeeded Vrban the Second in the year 1099 commanded that the Two Symbols should be distributed apart except 't were to little Children and to such as are extream sick for to such he permits that they might be communicated with the Wine only because they cannot swallow Bread The charitable Indulgence then allowed by our Discipline towards such as have an invincible aversion and antipathy against Wine ought not to be blamed VIII It remains in the Liberty of Ministers in distributing the Bread and Wine to use the accustomed words the thing being indifferent provided words are used that tend to Edification CONFORMITY When Jesus Christ gave to his Apostles the Sacrament of Bread he said this is my Body and in giving them the Symbol of Wine this is my Blood or this Cup is the New Testament in my Blood As for the Apostles we do not find they said any thing In the time of Justin Martyr Apol. 1. pag. 97. the Giver nor the Communicant said nothing but the Deacons gave to the faithful Bread and Wine which had been Consecrated And 't is gathered from Clements of Alexandria Strom. lib. 1. pag. 271. that 't was so practis'd at the end of the Second Century sometime after it was said to Communicants in giving them the Sacrament The Body of Christ The Blood of Christ In the Sixth Century and after it was said particularly in the West The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve you to Everlasting Life The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ Redeem you to Eternal Life Euchol p. 83. The Greeks say at this time You participate and communicate of the Holy Body and Pretious Blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for the Remission of your sins and to Life Everlasting Amongst us is commonly said This is the Body of Jesus Christ this is the Blood of Jesus Christ The Church as any one may see having at all times used a great freedom in this matter IX The Churches shall be advertis'd that the Cup is to be administred by the Minister CONFORMITY As Jesus Christ Blessed and Consecrated his Eucharist so he also administer'd it for there was none but him that did the Office and Duty of a Minister A little more than a Hundred years after Apol. 1. pag. 97. Christians received the Communion from the hands of Deacons as we find by Justin Martyr a practice observ'd a long while but with some difference and 't is probable those who did so grounded themselves on what is said in the VI. chap. of the Acts that Deacons should serve at Tables as if by this Expression was to be understood the distributing the Sacrament at the Holy Table whereas it means no more but the distributing of Alms and Charities to Widows and Orphans and in general to the Poor of the Church After all lio de Coron c. 3. Tertullian observes it was not received but of the hand of him which presided that is to say of Pastors and probably 't was in his time the use of the Churches of Africa which doubtless were more conformable to the Example and Practice of Jesus Christ to which we may add what is said by St. Chrysostome in his Forty Sixth Homily on St. Matthew The Priest only is permitted to distribute the Cup of the Blood of Jesus Christ The Greek word designs also Bishops as well as Sacerdos which the Interpreter has used X. Inasmuch as distributing the Lords Supper several sick Persons came to receive which occasions that several make scruple of drinking the Wine after them the Pastors and Elders shall be warn'd to take prudent care and give good Order therein CONFORMITY It is a prudent and cautious Establishment to avoid greater inconvenience XI Those who have been a long time in the Church and will not communicate of the Lords Supper if they do it through contempt as for fear of being obliged to forsake all manner of Idolatry after several admonitions they shall be cut off from the body of the Church but if it be by infirmity they shall be borne with for some time until they can be Established CONFORMITY There 's nothing in this Article that differs from the practice of the Antient Church which obliged all those which heard the Word of God to participate of the Lords Supper 't is what is intimated by the Second Cannon of the Council of Antioch Those which enter into the Assemblies and hear the Holy Scriptures but by a certain looseness do not communicate in Prayer with the People and deprive themselves of the participation of the Lords Supper let such be cast out of the Church The Ninth of those attributed to the Apostles and which probably was borrowed of that of Antioch is no less positive All the Believers which enter into the Church and that hear the Reading of the Scriptures but which stay not for the Prayers nor do receive the Holy Sacrament let them be cut off because they give offence to the Church Thence it is that in the Eleventh chap. of the Eighth Book of Constitutions called the Apostles it is Ordained That the Deacons should stand at the Doors where the Men sit and the Vnder-Deacons of that of the Women to hinder that no body go out during the time of the Oblation that is to say during the time of celebrating the Eucharist XII Those which frequent the Christian Congregations but on the Communion Day shall be reprov'd and warned to do their Duty and even to this purpose to joyn to one certain Church CONFORMITY The Author of Constitutions which go in the Apostles Names prescribes to Believers to frequent the Holy Assemblies not only when the Lords Supper is celebrated but also on all other Dayes Lib. 2. cap. 59. there to attend on calling on the Name of God in singing Psalms and the hearing of his Word The 80th Cannon of the Sixth Oecumenical Council does depose Church-men Tom. 5. Conc. pag. 344.