selves above others who live in a more simple manner, and introducing novelties contrary to the Scriptures, and the Ecclesiastical Canons. We do indeed admire virginity coupled with humility, and allow of continence with godliness, and gravity. We also admit of a retreat from worldly business with humility; but at the same time we reverence the holy connection of marriage, and do not set at naught wealth with righteousness and beneficence. We praise simplicity and frugality in clothing without any over-curious regard for the body, and have an aversion for dissolute and luxurious excess in dress. We reverence the house of God, and embrace the assemblies which take place in them as holy and profitable, not as confining godliness within the houses, but honoring every place which is built in the name of God, and approving of the assembling in the Church itself for the common benefit; and we praise the exceeding benefactions of the brethren as being made according to the traditions through the Church to the poor; and to speak summarily, we desire that all things that have been delivered by the holy Scriptures, and by the Apostolical traditions, should be done in the Church.

NOTE.

Canon XII. I. Cloak, nepißolatov. Berus, Bñpos.] It is not by any means clear what was the difference between these two garments, nor is it material to enter into a discussion upon the subject. The object of the Canon is plain and reasonable.

THE CANONS OF ANTIOCH.

THE Synod of Antioch in Syria was held A. D. 341, on the occasion of the dedication of the famous Church at Antioch which was begun by Constantine the Great, and completed by Constantius, and which was called the Golden Church. From this circumstance the Council is often called the Council of Antioch in Encæniis. It was attended by 90 or 97 Bishops, most of whom were Arians or suspected of Arianism. They did not however attempt to bring forward their heretical opinions; on the contrary they artfully concealed them, their principal object at the time being to prevent the restoration of Athanasius to the See of Alexandria, and the confirmation of Paul in the See of Constantinople. In order the more effectually to disguise their object so as to elude the opposition of the Catholics, they in their first Canon professed great reverence for the Nicene Council, and renewed the decree of that Council respecting the celebration of Easter, which had been also previously defined in the 7th Apostolical Canon. They then proceeded to establish other Canons, framed in almost the very words, and in the same order as they occur in the Apostolical Canons, so as to appear to be establishing no new laws, but merely republishing and confirming the old laws of the Church. After the 10th Canon, however,

they introduced the 11th and 12th, which were intended to apply to the case of Athanasius, who having been deposed by the Synod of Tyre, had been restored to his See by the authority of the Emperor Constantine only. The same object appears also in the 14th and 15th Canons. In like manner the 16th and 17th Canons were introduced with a view to the case of Paul of Constantinople, who had been elected to that See in opposition to the wishes of the Arians, and without the consent, as they affirmed, of Theodore of Heraclea, the Metropolitan of Thrace. To carry on the deceit, the Council then added the remaining Canons from the Apostolical Canons. Notwithstanding, however, the apparently bad intentions of the Antiochian Synod, the Canons which were enacted or sanctioned by it were unobjectionable, or rather excellent in themselves; and having been received into the Code of the Universal Church, and so confirmed by the Council of Chalcedon, they have equal authority with the rest of that Code.

On comparing the Canons published at Antioch with the corresponding ones in the Apostolical Canons, it cannot be doubted that the latter are the original. This is evident, 1. From the more simple form of the Apostolical Canons, which in most instances are amplified, and rendered more clear in those of Antioch. 2. From the circumstance of the frequent reference made in the Antiochian Canons to other Canons as well known and established, which in no instance is done in the Apostolical. 3. From a particular comparison of the 9th Canon of Antioch with the 34th Apostolical; and the 24th and 25th of Antioch with the 40th and 41st Apostolical. In the 34th Apostolical, the Chief Bishop is simply called the first Pishop; in the 9th of Antioch he is styled the Metropolitan. This term, however, was

not introduced till the beginning of the fourth century, but when introduced it universally prevailed. This not only proves that the Apostolical Canons are older than those of Antioch, but also that they were collected previously to the close of the third century. It is observable also that the expression in them, "the Bishops of each nation," is altered in those of Antioch into " Bishops of each Province." Again, in the 41st Apostolical there is only mention of the goods of the Church, but in the Antiochian of rents and farms, which shows that the former Canon was made before the time of Constantine, when the Church generally was not endowed with any houses or lands, which it was at the time of the Council of Antioch. It is observable also as a proof of the high estimation in which the Apostolical Canons were held, that the Council of Antioch in its 20th Canon respecting the annual Synods, adopts the rule of these Canons as to the time for the first of the Synods, in preference to that of Nice. It is probable from this, as Beveridge observes, that the Apostolical Canons were the rules of the Church in the parts of Antioch, and that therefore the Antiochian Fathers thought proper to retain them in this instance as the ancient customs. See Bev. Cod. Can. Eccl. prin. vind. cap. 4.

CANON I. Let all who dare to set aside the decree of the holy and great Synod which was assembled at Nice, in the presence of the pious and most religious Sovereign Constantine, respecting the holy and salutary feast of Easter, be excommunicated, and cast out of the Church, if they continue to persist in their opposition to what has been rightly decreed. This indeed is said more particularly with respect to the Laity; but if any of those who preside in the Church, whether a Bishop, Presbyter, or

Deacon, shall dare, after this decision, to follow his own fancies, to the subversion of the people and the troubling of the Churches, and to keep the feast with the Jews, the holy Synod decrees that he shall henceforth be an alien from the Church, as being not only guilty of sin himself, but the cause of destruction and subversion to many; and it not only removes such persons themselves from the divine service, but also all those who shall dare to communicate with them after their deprivation. And it further decrees, that those who are thus deposed shall be deprived of the outward honor of which the holy order, and the priesthood of God partakes. Apost. Can. 7.

II. Let all those who come into the Church and hear the holy Scriptures, but do not communicate in prayer with the people, or, in a disorderly manner, turn away from the holy receiving of the Eucharist, be cast out of the Church, until having confessed and shown fruits of repentance, and having earnestly requested it, they may obtain pardon. Further, it is unlawful to communicate with those who are excommunicated, or to enter into their houses, and pray with those who do not pray with the Church, or to receive in any Church those who do not join the assemblies in another. But if it shall appear that any of the Bishops, or Presbyters, or Deacons, or any one on the list of the Church, communicates with excommunicated persons, let him also be excommunicated, as confounding the rule of the Church. Apost. Can. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.

III. If any Presbyter, or Deacon, or any other who does at all belong to the Priesthood, shall leave his own. Parish and go to another, and at last removing entirely from his own, continues for a long time in another Parish, let him no longer take part in the divine service, particularly if his own Bishop calls and exhorts him to return