the contrary to receive with great affection all those which lived orderly and well, to the end to improve and make them better from day to day. Tertullian, before Origen,
had sufficiently intimated this same practice, speaking in his Apologetick of Censures inflicted on sinners in Christian Assemblies, which banished from their Com∣munion those which were convicted of heinous offen∣ces; for example, of Idolatry, Murder, and of Forni∣cation; which proceeding shews there was in each Church persons intrusted to keep watch over the life and manners of the People; and these persons were the same which we call Elders, which also is the name St. Austin gives them in the nineteenth Sermon on the words of our Lord, and which at this time is the third in the Appendix of the tenth Tome. In this Sermon, which others attribute to Maximus Bishop of Turin, and which is the 66th. amongst those of St. Ambrose, there is to be seen the Name and the Office of Elders, the same in effect as they are amongst us; for the Au∣thor, whoever he be, having observed that Soldiers, and those in any Office, could not bear to be reprov'd, and to be told of their Duty, he speaks after this man∣ner: When the Elders reprove them for any misdemeanor, and that any of them are asked why they are drunk? where∣fore they took away other folks goods? wherefore they com∣mitted murder. They presently answered, What would you have me do? being one of the World, and a Soldier? Do I profess to be a Frier, or a Clergy-man?