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 Second COUNCIL of Carthage.

FRom the Inscription of this Council corrected by a Manuscript of the Vatican we learn, that it was * 1.1 assembled under the third Consulship of Valentinian and Neoterius, that's to say in the Year 390, on the 14th. of June, at Carthage in the Church of St. Perpetua; That Genethlius Bishop of Carthage presided there, and that Bishops came thither from different Provinces. Genethlius opens the Council by giving thanks to God for the coming of the Bishops to Carthage according to the Letters which he had written to them. He says, That tho' all the Bishops were not present at this Council, yet it was to be believ'd that those who were absent were united in Spirit with it. He recommends afterwards to the Bishops to defend the Faith of the Trinity.

The 2d. Canon renews the Law established in the preceding Council concerning the Celibacy of Bi∣shops, Priests and Deacons.

The 3d. forbids Priests to bless the Chrism, to consecrate Virgins, and to reconcile Penitents at a Pub∣lick Mass. This is one of the most ancient Monuments where the name of Mass occurs to signify the Publick Prayers which the Church made at offering the Eucharist.

The 4th. Canon permits Priests to reconcile Penitents who are Sick and in Danger, with the Bi∣shop's leave.

The 5th. forbids the making New Bishopricks without the leave of the Bishop of the place.

The 6th. forbids the admitting any Persons of bad Reputation as Accusers of Bishops.

The 7th. confirms the Rule made in many Councils, which forbids a Bishop to receive a Person ex∣communicated by his own Bishop.

The 8th. declares, That if a Priest excommunicated by his own Bishop, undertake to offer up Sa∣crifices

in private, and to set up Altar against Altar, thereby making a Schism, he ought to be anathe∣matiz'd, because there is but one Church, one Faith, and one Baptism.

The 9th. forbids Priests to celebrate Mass in all kinds of places: It is call'd in this place, Agenda.

The 10th. ordains, That a Bishop accus'd, who would justify himself, if he cannot call together more, ought at least to defend his Cause before Twelve Bishops, a Priest before Six, and a Deacon be∣fore Three, one of which ought to be their own Bishop.

The 11th. forbids Bishops to intermeddle in the Diocesses of others.

The 12th. declares, That Bishops shall not be ordained without the Consent of the Primate, that's to say, the Metropolitan, and that in a case of necessity three Bishops are sufficient to ordain a Bishop, provided they have the Consent of the Metropolitan.

The 13th. is the Conclusion of this Council, which ordains, That all the Bishops shall observe the Canons which shall be sign'd by all the Bishops present. Some Criticks have doubted of the Truth of this Council, because the Names of Aurelius and Alypius are found in it, who were not Bishops when it was assembled: But these Names are not found in the Edition corrected by the Vatican Manuscript, but in their places there are the Names of Genethlius and Felix.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of the Se∣cond of Carthage, 390.