The Council of Worms.
IN 868, in June, Lewis, King of Germany, Assembled a General Council of his Kingdom at * 1.1 Worms: in it, the Bishops first of all composed a Confession of their Faith; in which they asserted the Procession of the Holy Ghost form the Father, and the Son; and rejected the Opi∣nion of those, who affirmed, That it proceeded from the Father by the Son, or from the Son onely. They deliver, That the Resurrection shall be in the same flesh, in which we live, and that the Catholick Church shall Reign with Jesus Christ for ever.
After they had made this Confession of Faith, they composed, or rather revived several Ca∣nons. The 1st Imports, that Baptism shall be solemnly Administred onely at Easter and Whit∣suntide. The 2d, that it belongs to the Bishop onely to Consecrate the Chrism. The 3d, that a Bishop shall not require any Present for the Consecration of Churches; and that they shall use nothing but Bread and Wine, mingled with Water, in the Sacrament of the Altar. The 5th con∣tains a Rule of S. Gregory's, about Dipping once, or thrice in Baptism. The 6th, that the Dispo∣sal of the Church Revenues belongs to the Bishops, and not to the Founders. The 7th, that they shall divide the Church Revenues into four parts. The 8th is an Extract of the Seventh Ca∣non of the 2d Council of Seville. The 9th contains a Law of Caelibacy, for all in Sacred Orders. The 10th concerns a Bishop accused of a Crime. The 11th declares, that Priests, who have been guilty of carnal sins, ought not to enjoy their Dignity. The 12th, that they that are accused of that crime, but can't be convicted, shall clear themselves by their Oath. The 13th, that Bishops shall not Excommunicate any Man for small faults. The 14th, that if they do, their neighbouring Bishops shall not communicate with them, till a Synod shall meet. The 15th orders, that if there be any Robbery done in any Monastery, and the Author is not known, all the Brethren shall communicate at one Mass, that by that means it may be known that they are innocent. The 16th Excommunicates the Bishops that refuse to come to a Synod, or withdraw before 'tis ended. The 17th forbids Clergy-men keeping Hunting-dogs, or Hawks. The 18th orders, that strange Clergy-men shall not be suffer'd to exercise their Ecclesiastical Functions, unless they have a Letter from their Bishop. The 19th says, that those that will not obey their Bishops, nor execute their Ministery diligently, in the Church which shall be allotted them, shall be Excommunicated and Degraded. The 20th appoints, that those Women, who are devoted to God by the Sacred Veil, and fall into any carnal crimes, shall not leave their profession, but shall be put to severe penance. The 21st obliges those Widows, who have taken the Veil, and have Prayed in the Church among the professed Nuns, offer'd Oblations with them, and promis'd to continue in that Estate, never to leave it. The 22d holds, that it is not lawful for them, who have by their Pa∣rents been put into the Monasteries in their Infancy, and have been brought up in a Regular Dis∣cipline, to leave or forsake that sort of Life, when they are come to a Riper Age. The 23d Revives that Maxim of the Councils of Spain, That a Man may be made a Monk, either by the Devotion of his Parents, or by his own proper Profession; and declares, That both ways equal∣ly oblige: and those, that are made so either way, may not return to a Secular Life. The 24th is against them that doe any Injury to Clergy-men or Churches. The 25th Commands Priests to impose penances proportionable to Mens Crimes, and agreeable to the Laws of the Church. The following Canons contain the punishments of different sorts of Manslaughter. The 31st gives Lepers a liberty of receiving the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, but not with those that are in perfect health. The 32d says, that the number of Children, which a Man may have, can't be determin'd; yet no Man may Marry his near Relations. The 33d forbids Marrying Two Sisters. The 34th a God-mother, or God-daughter. The 35th condemns to the penance of Murtherers, those Women, who cause Abortions in themselves; and those to something less punishments, who smother their Children in their sleep, though not thinking of it. The 36th subjects to penance, and separates him from his Wife, who hath layn with his Wife's Daughter by another Husband. The 37th imports, that Marryed persons, though under penance, are not to be parted. The 38th and 39th impose penance upon those that kill their Slaves. The 40th appoints, that a Bishop, who ordains a Slave, knowing him to be such, without the consent of his Master, shall pay double the worth of him to his Master; but, if he were ignorant of it, the Sum shall be paid by them who were Witnesses for him. The 41st orders, that they shall be Excommunicated who live in Enmity, and will not be reconciled. The 42d constitutes, that no Man shall be Condemned, who is not formally Convicted. The 43d sentences them to Depriva∣tion of their Goods, and Excommunication till Death, who side with the Enemies of the State. The 44th condemns Adulterers to a Seven years penance.