the expiation of their crimes, and not in the allowance of their vices) that is, they may the sooner and the more easily deserve to arrive at the grace of Divine reconciliation by prayers and intercessions while they worthily sing and pray, or that they may improve in what is good, or that they may obtain what they piously ask, not with any intent that they may, for one moment, do evil or omit good with the greater liberty, or relax fasting enjoined for sin, or give the less alms because they believe others fast or sing psalms for them. For let every one certainly know that his very own flesh, which has been the cause of unlawful wicked desires, ought to be restrained from what is lawful, and that a man should punish it now in proportion to its guilt, if he desire not to be punished hereafter by the Eternal Judge. Let himself first crave the Divine clemency, with groanings of heart for the restoration of himself, and then bring as many servants of God as he can to make their common prayers to God for him. For if they promise or believe or act otherwise than has been before said, they do not lessen sins but add sins to sins, because by this means, above all the rest, they provoke the anger of the Judge on high, because they dare to set his justice to sale every day by inordinate flattery and excessive blandishment, whilst their behaviour is unrestrained. We must speak at large of this, because a worldly rich man of late, desiring that speedy reconciliation might be granted him for gross sin, affirmed by letters that that sin of his, as many assured him, was so fully expiated, that if he could live 300 years longer, his fasting was already paid by these methods of satisfaction, namely: psalmody, fasting, and alms of others, apart from his own fasting, or however little it might be. If then Divine justice can be appeased by others, why, you foolish boasters, is it said by the voice of Truth itself: 'It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of 747. 747. 28. Of the size of monas monks and nuns. heaven,' when he can with bribes purchase the unnumbered fastings of others for his own crimes? Oh that you might perish alone, you that are deservedly called the gates of Hell, and who persuade [others] to sin, before more are ensnared by your misguiding flattery, and led into the plague of God's eternal indignation. Let no man deceive himself; God deceives none when he says by the apostle 'We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ,' &c. 28. Under the twenty-eighth injunction they charged that no one should admit a larger congregation than he can teries and maintain and find in necessaries. If any have unwarily apparel of done this, let them exact the less work from them till they can give them food and raiment suitable to their habit of profession. And among other observances of the regular life, let them use the accustomed apparel of those who have been before them, whether they are clerks or monks. And let them not imitate seculars in the fashionable gartering of their legs, nor in having hoods round their heads after the fashion of the layman's cloak, contrary to the custom of the Church. Likewise, that nuns veiled by the priest, and having taken the habit of their holy profession, ought not to go in secular apparel, or in gaudy, gay clothes, such as lay girls use, but take care always to keep the garb of chastity, which they have received to signify their humility and contempt of the world, lest the hearts of others be defiled by the sight of them, and they, by this means, be found guilty of this defilement in the sight of God. 29. That no one live with 29. Under the twenty-ninth [head] they enacted, with bound by regulative decree, that after this synod it be not lawful for religious clerks, monks, or nuns to dwell any longer in the houses of profession seculars with laymen, but that they go back to the monaslaymen. teries where they had first taken the habit of their sacred profession, from which they departed of their own accord, or were expelled by the violence of others, as has certainly been done in many places, and that free admission be not denied them on their return on account of any manner of previous fault. But if any of either sex, not being under a curse, but after receiving leave and benediction have afterwards been peaceably admitted by others into their society and union, and yet since this have run up and down among the laity, roving and unsettled, this return aforesaid thus enjoined does not relate to the house whence they went out in regular form, but to that place where, by mutual agreement on both sides, they were duly received to union and fellowship. 747. about the between tics and laymen of 30. Under the thirtieth head a long discussion was pub- 30. A dislicly made between the priests of God and those of less cussion degree, inquiring how they might, in the existing condition avoidance of things, be enabled to silence entirely jealousy, or words of jealousy akin to jealousy, concerning them, their own conscience ecclesiaswithin bearing them witness that any such suspicion was false and vain-namely, that kings, with their officers and position. chief men and many besides of less degree, have persuaded themselves, and are wont to assert, that they not only are insincere in love and affection towards them, but indeed grudge them the good things present with a heart too malevolent, rather than rejoice with them loyally, and do not cease to inveigh against their way of living, with bitter abuse. Their view, indeed, was that any man of higher position and dignity, who thought or said such things for any reason, did so most undeservedly, for that this was contrary not only to the profession of their habit but to the teaching of evangelists and apostles, which they ought to proclaim to all in general, namely, that no preacher of peace and love to God and men, who were made in the likeness of God, should ever venture for a moment to entertain in himself fuel for hatred and envy. And so, that Continual their accusers might more certainly avow that they were sion for free from this abominable fault, both before God and man, this object they ordained that, for the future, ecclesiastics and monks is enacted. interces 747. should at the canonical hours of prayer, not only for them- 787. The legates report the success of their mis sion. VIII. SYNODS HELD AT CHELSEA AND ELSEWHERE, THE following document is a report sent by the legates George and Theophylact to Pope Hadrian I. It was originally printed by the Magdeburg Centuriators from a MS. which has not since been verified. There is no reason to doubt its authenticity, as the internal proofs of this are very strong. See H. and S. iii. 447-461. It occurs in the Centuries, viii. p. 575. [Johnson's tr., compared with H. and S.] We have written a capitular of all the particulars, and rehearsed them in order in their hearing, who, with all humble submission and evident willingness, embracing your admonition and our poor selves, promised in all particulars to obey. Then we delivered to them your letters to read, enjoining 787. Now these are the them that they would see that the holy decrees be observed to hold and teach the examined 1. That the holy, inviolate faith of the Nicene Council be The clergy faithfully and firmly held by all that are devoted to the holy service; and that the priests of every church who are to faith of the teach the people be diligently examined by the bishops every Councils, six general year in their synodical assemblies, concerning the faith: so and to be that they may profess hold and teach the apostolic and catholic faith of the six Councils which is approved by the Holy Ghost, and not fear to die for it if there be occasion ; and that they receive all such men as the general Councils have received, and reject and condemn all those, heartily, whom they have condemned. yearly. and conditions of Baptism, 2. That Baptism be administered according to the canon- The season ical statutes, and not at any other time except in great necessity; that all in general know the Creed and the Lord's Prayer; that all who receive children from the font know and the responsithat they are sureties to the Lord, according to their under- bilities of taking, for the renouncing of Satan, his works, and pomps, sponsors in example and for the believing of the faith; that they teach them the and inLord's Prayer aforesaid and the Creed, while they are coming struction. to ripeness of age: for if they do not, what is promised to God on behalf of them that cannot speak shall be with rigour exacted of them. Therefore we enjoin that this be charged on the memories of all the people in general. annual duct visita 3. That there be two Councils each year according to the Bishops to canonical decrees, that the briers and thorns may be cut off have two from the hearts of all offenders as spurious branches are by Councils, good husbandmen. And let every bishop go round his and to condiocese once every year, carefully appointing places of meet- tions, ing at convenient distances; that all may meet to hear the word of God, lest any, through the neglect of the shepherd, ignorantly going astray, be victims to the bite of the roaring lion. Let him with watchful care preach to and con D |