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 COUNCILS of Ancyra and Neo-Caesarea.

THE Councils of Ancyra and Neo-Caesarea, were held much about the same time as the Council * 1.1 of Arles. We know nothing of the History, nor particular Circumstances of these two Coun∣cils; we have only their Canons, which the ancient Church look'd upon as Rules that ought to be observ'd every where, since they have been put into the Code of the Canons of the Universal Church.

There are 25 Canons of the Council of Ancyra. The First preserves the Honour of the Priesthood to those Bishops, who having sacrificed to Idols repented of their Fault, and afterwards suffered for the Faith of Jesus Christ. But it forbids them to exercise any part of the Sacerdotal Function, and will not so much as allow them to make the Offering or Preach. The Second uses the same mo∣deration to Deacons; but it permits Bishops to show them more Favour if they think it con∣venient.

In the 3d. Canon it is Ordain'd, That those who have been made to offer Incense or to eat of Meats sacrific'd to Idols, by force and Violence, are not at all guilty, that they ought to be admitted to Communion, and that they may even be promoted to Ecclesiastical Dignities, provided they have testified their sorrow for what happen'd to them: But for those who were present at the Feasts made to the Honour of Idols with mirth and jollity, it imposes upon them Five Years Penance, One Year in the rank of Hearers, Two Years in the rank of Supplicants, and Two Years in the number of those that are present only at the Prayers. Whereas those who were present in mourning Apparel, and who lamented during the time of the Feast, if they did eat of the Profane meat, it places them in the rank of Supplicants or prostrate Penitents for Three Years, and afterwards it would have them receiv'd without having any share in the Oblation; and if they did not eat at all, it leaves them only Two Years in the rank of the prostrate Penitents, and permits them to partake of the Sacraments at the end of the Third Year. Nevertheless it gives power to the Bishops to shorten or lengthen the time of Penance according to the behaviour of the Penitents.

The 6th. concerns those who have Sacrific'd to Idols, fearing Torments or the loss of their Goods, and who desire to be admitted to do Penance. The Synod orders, That they should be among the num∣ber of Hearers till Easter-day, that afterwards they should be Three Years Supplicants or Prostrate, and then they should be present at the Prayers, which is call'd Communicating without partaking of the Oblation. It excepts however the case of the danger of Death, in which it Orders, That they should be receiv'd according to the Law made about it.

The 7th. imposes Two Years Penance upon those who were present at the Feasts made in Honour of the Idols, but carried thither their own Meat, intending not to eat of that which was there presented.

The 8th. imposes Seven Years Penance upon those who Sacrific'd several times; and the 9th. impo∣ses Ten Years Penance upon those who forc'd their Brethren to do it.

The 10th. Canon concerns the Celibacy of Deacons. The Council there Ordains, That if they de∣clared at the time of their Ordination, that they would Marry, they shall not be depriv'd of their Fun∣ction if they did Marry; but if they were Ordain'd without making this declaration, and afterwards Marry'd they should be oblig'd to quit their Employment.

The 11th. Ordains, That if Maids contracted happen to be carried away by others, than those

to whom they were promised, they shall be restored to them again whatever violence they have suffered.

The 12th. declares, That those may be Ordain'd who have Sacrific'd to Idols before they were bap∣tiz'd, because they are purified from this Sin by Baptism.

The 13th. Canon is about Suffragan Bishops or Chorepiscopi. 'Tis as follows in the Greek Text: 'Tis not lawful for Suffragan Bishops to Ordain Priests or Deacons, nor for the City Presbyters in ano∣ther Parish without the permission of their Bishop. 'Tis plain that this Canon is imperfect, and that something must be supplied to make it sence: For what mean these Words, Nor to the City Pres∣byters, &c. Had Priests ever power to Ordain other Priests in their own Churches? Had they ever permission to do it out of their own Churches by the Bishops Letters? Why should not the Suffragans who were above the Priests have the same power? There must be something added: See what Dionysius Exiguus has added in his Version. No more is it lawful for Priests to do any thing in the Diocess, without the permission of the Bishop in writing. This Addition is found in the ancient Code of the Roman Church, published by Quesnellus, and in the Version of Isidore; and Justellus has restor'd it in the Greek Text of the Code of the Universal Church.

The 14th. condemns the superstition of some Clergymen who would not eat Meat. The Synod Ordains, That if they continued in this Superstition, and would not eat Herbs boil'd with Meat, they should be depriv'd of their Ecclesiastical Function.

The 15th. declares, That if Priests sell any thing belonging to the Church, while it has not a Bi∣shop, it shall be in the power of the Bishop who is chosen, either to make void the bargain, or to take the price of the thing that is sold.

The 16th. and 17th. impose long Penances upon those who have committed Crimes contrary to Nature.

The 18th. forbids Bishops who cannot be receiv'd into their own Bishopricks to invade those of others, and allows them only to keep the rank of other Presbyters; of which Honour it Ordains that they shall be depriv'd if they stir up Sedition against the Bishop of the place.

The 19th. subjects those Virgins to the same punishment with Bigamists, who violate the Profession that they have made, and forbids them to dwell with Strangers as if they were their Sisters.

The 20th. imposes Seven Years Penance for Adultery.

In the 21st. the Synod observes, That the ancient Canons delay'd the Absolution of those Women till death, who having committed the Sin of Adultery murder'd their Infants; but to mitigate this Pu∣nishment, it imposes upon them only Ten Years Penance.

The 22d. delayeth the Absolution of those till the Point of death who have committed wilful Mur∣der, and till then it places them in the rank of Prostrate Penitents.

The 23d. imposes Seven Years of Penance for Manslaughter.

The 24th. subjects those to a Penance of Five Years who meddle with Divination and practise super∣stitious Actions.

The last is about a particular Case. A Man had defil'd the Sister of her to whom he was contracted, and afterwards married this last; her Sister hang'd her self for madness. The Synod Ordains, That all those who were Complices to these Crimes shall be put under Penance for the space of Ten Years.

These Canons are sign'd by 18 Bishops of the Diocesses of Asia, of Pontus, and of the East. Vitalis Bishop of Antioch is the First among these Bishops. 'Tis certain that he held the See of the Church of Antioch from the Year 311, until the Year 319. After him there is the Name of Agricolaus Bishop of Caesarea in Palaestine: But Eusebius makes no mention of this Bishop, and he could be but a very little time Bishop of that Church. Marcellus of Ancyra who is the Third, is famous enough in Hi∣story. Some think that Basil of Amasea suffer'd Martyrdom under Licinius, and St. Jerom affirms it in his Chronicon: Yet Philostorgius and St. Athanaesius reckon him among those Bishops who were present at the Council of Nice. The same St. Athanasius mentions Lupus of Tarsus, and Longinus of Neocaesarea. There is mention made of Leontius of Caesarea in Cappadocia in the Life of St. Gregory Nazianzen, where 'tis said, That 'twas he who baptiz'd Gregory of Pisa in the time of the Nicene Council. The others are less known.

The Council of Neocaesarea made Fifteen Canons about the Discipline of the Church.

The 1st. is, That if a Priest marries after he has been Ordain'd, he ought to be degraded; and if he commit Fornication or Adultery he ought to be punished more rigorously, and put under Penance.

The 2d. is, That if a Woman marry Two Brothers, she ought to be excluded from the Commu∣nion of the Church till the end of her life; but at the Point of Death she shall be absolved, provided she promises to break the Marriage. For if the Husband or the Wife die without being parted, the surviving Person can very hardly be admitted to Penance.

The 3d. is, That the time of the Penance of those who Marry often is regulated by the Canons, but it may be shortned proportionably to the Conversion of the Penitent, and the fervour of his Penance.

The 4th. is, That he who having a desire to commit Sin with a Woman, and did not accomplish it, seems to have been sav'd by the Grace of God.

The 5th. is, That if a Catechumen who is in the rank of those who pray with the Faithful, fall into Sin, he must be plac'd in the rank of Hearers, and if he continue to sin, he is to be totally turn'd out of the Church.

The 6th. commands those Women to be baptized who are ready to Lie-in.

The 7th. forbids Priests to be present at the Marriage of Bigamists.

The 8th. declares that he cannot be admitted into Holy Orders, whose Wife has been convicted of Adultery, and that if a Clergy-man's Wife commit Adultery, he ought to divorce her, upon pain of being depriv'd of his Ministry if he do not.

The 9th. is, That if a Priest who has committed the Sin of the Flesh before he was Ordain'd con∣fess his Crime, he ought no more to Offer, but he shall enjoy all his other Rights; for as to other Sins, 'tis thought, that they are pardoned by the Imposition of Hands: But if he does not confess this Fault and cannot be convicted of it, he shall be left to his own Conscience.

The 10th. is, That a Deacon who shall commit the same Crime before his Ordination, shall be plac'd in the rank of the other Ministers.

The 11th. forbids to give the Order of Priesthood to those Persons who are under Thirty Years of Age, tho' they have well deserved, because our Lord was baptized, and begun to preach at that Age.

The 12th. is, That those who have been baptiz'd in their Sickness can never be ordain'd Priests, be∣cause they seem to have embrac'd the Faith only through necessity, unless this Favour be after∣wards granted them upon the account of their Faith and Zeal, and that there be but few Persons who can be Ordain'd.

The 13th. forbids the Priests in the Country to make the Oblation in the presence of the Bishop, or of the Priests of Cities, and does not allow them so much as to distribute the Bread of the Eucharist or to give the Cup, but it permits them to do both the one and the other in the absence of the Bishop, and the City-Presbyters.

The 14th. declares, That Suffragans represent the 70 Disciples, and so they are look'd upon as the Brethren of the Bishops, and have the honour of making the Oblation.

The last Ordains, That there should be but Seven Deacons in each City how great soever it be. Some of the Bishops who were at the Council of Ancyra, subscribed to this. Vitalis of Antioch presi∣ded there as well as at the Council of Ancyra. Which shows that these Two Councils were held af∣ter the Year 311, and before the Year 319.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of Ancyra and Neo-Caesarea, 314.