Of the COUNCIL of Capua.
THE Council of Capua was assembled by the Emperour Valentinian in the Year 390, to deter∣mine * 1.1 the Difference which was between Flavianus and Evagrius, the Successor of Paulinus in the See of Antioch. In it Theophilus of Alexandria and the Bishops of Egypt were named for Judges of this Cause. But Flavianus would not acknowledge them for Judges, and told the Emperour boldly, who had order'd him to come to Constantinople, that he might send him to Alexandria. Sir, if they accuse my Manners or my Faith, I am ready to submit my self to the Judgment of my Accusers them∣selves; but if they would have my Primacy and See, I will have no dispute with any body about it, nei∣ther will I resist those who aspire to this Dignity; And therefore give the See of Antioch to whom you please. This resolute Answer made the Emperour wonder, who sent him back to Antioch to govern his Church. But tho' the Synod of Capua had not been assembled but for this Affair, yet in it they treated of other things. Bonosus a Bishop was informed against there, because he had the boldness to affirm that the Virgin Mary had Children by Joseph after the Birth of Jesus Christ. The Council referr'd this Cause to Anysius Bishop of Thessalonica, and the other Bishops of Macedonia. They for∣bid him to enter into his Church. This Bishop being disgraced by this Judgment, consulted St. Am∣brose, whether it were lawful for him to enter into it. This Saint answered him, That he ought to do nothing contrary to the Judgment given by the Bishops of Macedonia: And they desiring to ratify their Judgment by the Opinion of the Bishop of Rome, wrote an account of it to Siricius, who an∣swered them, That the Council of Capua having referred this Cause, it did not belong to him to judge of it, but to them to determine it. We learn all this from the Letter of Siricius, which was formerly at∣tributed to St. Ambóse.
This Synod treated also of Re-baptization, of Re-ordinations, and Translations of Bishops, as it is observ'd in the 48th. Canon of the Code of the Canons of the Church of Africa, which is conceiv'd in these Words, We have declared what was Ordained in the Council of Capua, That it was not lawful to use Re-baptization, Re-ordination and the Translation of Bishops. This is all we know of this Council.