A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

Of the COUNCIL of Gangra.

THE precise time of this Council is not known. Some have thought that it was held between * 1.1 the Council of Antioch and that of Nice. Others following the Testimony of Socrates and So∣zomen, place it after the Council of Seleucia. This Opinion is confirmed, because that Eusebius who first sign'd the Canons of this Council, was probably the Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, the Prede∣cessor of St. Basil. who held the See of this Church from the Year 362, to the Year 371. This Coun∣cil condemns the Errors of one Eustathius who is different from the Bishop of Sebastea, who under pretence of leading a more perfect and austere Life, established such Practices as were contrary to the Laws of the Church. In the Letter of the Synod, he and his followers are Accus'd, First, Of condemning Marriage, and parting Wives from their Husbands; Secondly, Of forsaking the Pub∣lick Assemblies of the Church to keep private Meetings; Thirdly, Of reserving the Oblations for themselves only; Fourthly, Of parting Servants from their Masters, and Children from their Fa∣thers, under pretence of making them lead a more austere Life; Fifthly, Of permitting Women to be habited like Men; Sixthly, Of despising the Fasts of the Church, and observing others, according to their own fancy, even on Sundays; Seventhly, Of believing that it was forbidden in all Times to eat Meat; Eighthly, Of rejecting the Oblations of married Priests; Ninthly, Of despising Holy Places, and the Tombs of the Martyrs; Tenthly, Of believing that none can be Sav'd without part∣ing with all their Goods. These Errors are condemned in Twenty Canons, which have been placed in the Code of the Canons of the Universal Church.

The 1st. condemns those who disallow Marriage, and believe that a Married Person cannot be Sav'd.

The 2d. thunders an Anathema against those who condemn such as eat Flesh, excepting only the Blood of those things that have been offered to Idols, and things strangled.

The 3d. is against those who teach their Slaves to despise their Masters, instead of serving them with respect.

The 4th. is against those who say, we must not take the Communion from the hand of a married Priest.

The 5th. against those who despise the House of God, and the Assemblies there kept.

The 6th. condemns those who would have another than the Publick Church, who despise it, and would have the Ecclesiastical Functions performed without a Priest approved by the Bishop.

The 7th. and 8th. are against those who receive the Ecclesiastical Offerings out of the Church, without the consent of the Bishop, or of those whom he has entrusted.

The 9th. is against those who keep their Virginity, not because of its Excellency, but because they think Marriage to be an abominable thing.

The 10th. against those who insult over Married Persons.

The 11th. against those who despise the Agapae, that's to say, the Feasts of Charity.

The 12th. against those who fansie themselves to be more holy than others, because they wear a sin∣gular Habit, and condemn those that wear decent Apparel.

The 13th. pronounces an Anathema against those Women who leave off their own Habit and wear Men's Apparel.

The 14th. against those who forsake their Husbands out of Detestation of Marriage.

The 15th. against those who abandon their Children, who do not Feed them, nor Educate them in Piety, but neglect them under pretence of Devotion.

The 16th. against those Children who under pretence of Piety forsake their Parents, and show them no more that Respect which they owe them next to God.

The 17th. against those Women who cut their Hair, to destroy the Sign of that Submission which they owe to their Husbands.

The 18th. pronounces an Anathema upon those who Fast on Sundays under pretence of leading a more austere Life.

The 19th. is against those who break the Fasts of the Church without Necessity, and in Contempt.

The 20th. pronounces an Anathema against those who abhor the Assemblies and the Sacrifices which are made in honour of the Martyrs, and despise their Memories.

At last, the Fathers of this Council conclude with these excellent Words:

We ordain these things not to exclude those who would, according to the Advices of Holy Scripture, exercise themselves in the Church by these Practices of Continence and Piety, but against those who use these kinds of Austerities for a Pretence to satisfy their Ambition, who despise those who lead an ordinary Life, and who introduce Innovations contrary to Scripture and the Ecclesiastical Laws. We admire Vir∣ginity when it is accompanied with Humility; we praise Abstinence which is joyn'd with Piety and Prudence. We respect that Retirement which is made with Humility; but we also honour Mar∣riage. We do not blame Riches when they are in the hands of Persons that are Just and Benefi∣cent; we esteem those who cloath themselves Modestly, without Pride and Affectation, and we abhor uncivil and voluptuous Apparel: We have a Reverence for Churches, and we approve the Assemblies which are there made as Holy and Useful: We do not confine Piety to Houses. We honour all places built to the Name of God; we approve the Assemblies which are kept in the Church for the publick Good: We praise the Largesses which the Faithful give to the Church to be distributed among the Poor. In a word, We wish and desire that these things may be observ'd in the Church which we have learn'd from the Scripture and the Tradition of the Apostles.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of Gangra, 370.