5. Special Discipline, Duties, DiaabiliHes. — '' In the early Church the clergy were placed under strict discipline. The crimes leading to punishment were simony, heresy, apoetas}', neglect of duty, immoral- ity, and violation of clerical etiquette. Punishments were various : (1.) Corporeal casHgation, which Au- gustine speaks of as not unfrequent, the delinquent being first deprived of his clerical rank, and then scourged as a layman. Decamca^ or prisons, were attached to many churches. (2.) Dfffradaiionr—^9,t is, the offender was put down to a lower rank or grade of office, and that to all appearance perma- nently. (3.) Stupmeion — either a heneficio, from his income, or ab officio, from his office. (4.) Depriva^ Hon — either forbidden from the Lord's Supper alto- gether, and treated as a stranger (communio peregrinoC), or allowed to communicate only with the laity {com- mtmio laicd), (5.) £xeommunication-^the final cutting off of the offender from clerical office, and the denial of all hope of restoration to it, even though he should be restored to the fellowship of the Church. We sub- join a few of the more characteristic of the ancient canons concerning the clergy, as showing the spirit of the age, and revealing some of its tendencies and usages : Thus, in the Apostolical Canons, * 5. Let not a bishop, presbyter, or deacon turn away his wife, un- der pretence of religion ; if he do, let him be suspend- ed from the communion (a^opttioOiMi), and deposed (KoOaipttaGw) if he persist. 6. Let not a bishop, pres- b3rter, or deacon undertake any secular employ, upon pain of deposition. 17. He who, after his being bap- tised, has been involved in two marriages, or has kept a. concabtne, cannot be a bishop, or a presbyter, or a deacon, or at all belong to the sacerdotal catalogue. 18. He that marries a widow, or one that is divorced, or a harlot, or a servant, or an actress, cannot be a bishop, or a presbyter, or a deacon, or at all belong to the sacerdotal catalogue. 19. He that marries two sisters, or his niece, cannot be a clergyman. 20. Let the clergyman who gives security for any one be de- posed. 51. If any bishop, presbyter, deacon, or any of the sacerdotal catalogue, do abstain fhmi marriage, and flesh, and wine, not for mortification, but out of abhorrence, as having forgotten that all things are very good, and that God made man male and female, and blasphemously reproaching the workmanship of
God, let him amend, or else be deposed, and cast out of the Church; and so also sl^l a layman.' In the Canons of Laodicea, * 54. That they of the priest- hood and clergy ought not to gaze on fine shows at weddings or other feasts ; but before the masquer- ades enter, to rise up and retreat. 55. That they of the priesthood and clergy, or even laity, ought not to club together for great eating and drinking bouts.' The duties of the various ranks of the clergy were strictly defined, and firm lalfb laid down for their guid- ance. They were not allowed to leave their station without permission, but were to reside in their cure, deserters being condemned by a law of Justinian to forfeit their estates ; but they could resign in certain circumstances, and a retiring or canonical pension was sometimes granted. They could not remove from one diocese to another without letters dimissory, nor could they possess pluralities, or hold office in two dioceses. It was forbidden them to engage in secular employ- ments, or attend fairs and markets, nor could they be- come pleaders in courts of law. They were expected to lead a studious life, their principal book being the Scriptures, while heathen and heretical treatises were only allowed them as occasion served. Bishops could not be * tutors and governors,' but the inferior clergy might, under certain limitations. After the example of Paul, some of the lower clergy might support them- selves, or fill up their leisure by some secular occupa- tion. Severe laws wer^ passed against what are call- ed wandering clergy — vacaniivi, who appear to have been often fugitives from discipline, without character or ^rtificate. If a clergyman died without heirs, his estates fell to the Church, so the Council of Agde in 500 ruled. By a law of Theodosius and Valentinian III, the goods of any of the clergy d3ring intestate went in the same way" (Eadie, s. v.).
6. Election of the Clergy. — **Some assume that in the early Church the people had no other power than to give their testimonials to the persons elected, or to make exceptions, if they had any just and reasonable objections to urge ; others say that the people were absolute and proper electors, and this from apostolical right, and that they enjoyed this for a succession of ages. That the people had a voice in the elections Is evident from several circumstances. No bishop could be intruded upon a Church against the consent of the members : in case the majority of a Church consisted of heretics or schismatics, the practice diflered. In many instances recorded in ecclesiastical history the voices of the people prevailed against the bishops themselves. In addition, we have the words used by the people in the decision, such as d^to^ or dvdliog, digmu or indignus; and instances in which persons were brought by force to the bishop to be ordained, or were elected to the office by acclamation. It was de- cided by the fourth Coundl of Carthage that as the bishop might not elect clerks without the advice 'of his clergy, so likewise he should secure the consent, co-operation, and testimony of the people. The popu- lar elections, however, became scenes of great disor- der and abuse. A remarkable passage from Chrysos- tom {De Sacerd.) has been frequently quoted, and ap- plies more or less to such elections, not only in Con- stantinople, but also in Rome, Alexandria, Antiocb, and other large cities. He says : ' Go and witness the proceedings at our public festivals, in which, more especially, according to established rule, the elections of ecclesiastical officers take place. Ton will find there complaints raised against the minister as numer- ous and as various in their character as the multitude of those who are the subject of church-government. For all those in whom the right of election is vested split into factions. It is evident that there is no good understanding, either among themselves, or with the appointed president, or with the presbytery. One sup- ports one man, and one another. And the reason of this is, that they all neglect to look at that point which