Canon XCIII.
He asserts the Doxology [in these words] "with the Holy Spirit," to be an unwritten, Apostolic tradition. For this is a dogma full of authority, venerable for its antiquity.
From the Letter of Basil the Great to the Nicopolitans.
There is also in Tilius and Bishop Beveridge here [599] inserted an epistle of St. Basil the Great to the Nicopolitans, comforting them under the loss of their church or oratory, and telling them, that they ought not to be concerned that they worship God in the open air, for that the eleven Apostles worshipped God in an upper room, where they were cooped up, while they that crucified Jesus performed their worship in a most famous Temple.
[599] I.e., at the end, after the Epistle of Gennadius.
VI.
The Canonical Epistle of St. Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, to St. Letoïus, Bishop of Melitene. [600]
Canon I.
At Easter not only they who are transformed by the grace of the laver, i.e. baptism, but they who are penitents and converts, are to be brought to God, i.e. to the Communion: for Easter is that Catholic feast in which there is a resurrection from the fall of sin.
Canon II.
They who lapse without any force, so as to deny Christ, or do by choice turn Jews, idolaters, or Manichees, or infidels of any sort, not to be admitted to communion till the hour of death; and if they chance to recover beyond expectation, to return to their penance. But they who were forced by torments, to do the penance of fornication.
Canon III.
If they who run to conjurers or diviners, do it through unbelief, they shall be treated as they who wilfully lapse, but if through want of sense, and through a vain hope of being relieved under their necessities, they shall be treated as those who lapse through the violence of torment.
Canon IV.
That fornicators be three years wholly ejected from prayer, three years hearers, three years prostrators, and then admitted to communion; but the time of hearing and prostrating may be lessened to them who of their own accord confess, and are earnest penitents. That this time be doubled in case of adultery, and unlawful lusts, but discretion to be used.
Canon V.
Voluntary murderers shall be nine years ejected out of the church, nine years hearers, nine years prostrators; but every one of these nine years may be reduced to seven or six, or even five, if the penitents be very diligent. Involuntary murderers to be treated as fornicators, but still with discretion, and allowing the communion on a death-bed, but on condition, that they return to penance if they survive.
Canon VI.
That the Fathers have been too gentle toward the idolatry of covetous persons, in condemning to penance only robbery, digging of graves, and sacrilege, whereas usury and oppression, though under colour of contract, are forbidden by Scripture. That highwaymen returning to the Church, be treated as murderers. They that pilfer, and then confess their sin to the priest, are only obliged to amendment, and to be liberal to the poor; and if they have nothing, to labour and give their earnings.
Canon VII.
They who dig into graves, and rake into the ashes and bones of the dead, in order to find some valuable thing buried together with the corpse, (not they who only take some stones belonging to a sepulchre, in order to use them in building) to do the penance of fornicators.
Canon VIII.
He observes that by the law of Moses, sacrilege was punished as murder, and that the guilty person was stoned to death, and thinks the Fathers too gentle, in imposing a shorter penance on sacrilege than adultery.
[600] These Canons, in Beveridge's Synodicon, are annotated only by Balsamon.
VII.
From the Metre Poems of St. Gregory Theologus, Specifying which Books of the Old and New Testament Should Be Read. [601]
Let not other books seduce your mind: for many malignant writings have been disseminated. The historical books are twelve in number by the Hebrew count, [then follow the names of the books of the Old Testament but Esther is omitted, one Esdras, and all the Deutero-Canonical books]. Thus there are twenty-two books of the Old Testament which correspond to the Hebrew letters. The number of the books of the New Mystery are Matthew, who wrote the Miracles of Christ for the Hebrews; Mark for Italy; Luke, for Greece; John, the enterer of heaven, [602] was a preacher to all, then the Acts, the xiv. Epistles of Paul, the vii. Catholic Epistles, and so you have all the books. If there is any beside these, do not repute it genuine.
[601] Not being satisfied with Johnson, I have supplied a translation from Beveridge. It also is found in Aristenus's Epitome. Balsamon has written a brief scholion adding nothing of importance to the text.
[602] This seems to imply a knowledge of the Revelation, although it is not mentioned.
VIII.
From the Iambics of St. Amphilochius the Bishop to Seleucus, on the Same Subject. [603]
We should know that not every book which is called Scripture is to be received as a safe guide. For some are tolerably sound and others are more than doubtful. Therefore the books which the inspiration of God hath given I will enumerate. [Then follows a list of the proto-canonical books of the Old Testament, Esther alone being omitted. All the deutero-canonical books are omitted. He then continues] to these some add Esther. I must now show what are the books of the New Testament. [Then follow all the books of the New Testament except the Revelation. He continues,] But some add to these the Revelation of John, but by far the majority say that it is spurious. This is the most true canon of the divinely given Scriptures.
Note.
We have thus four [five if we accept the Laodicean list as genuine,] different canons of Holy Scripture, all having the approval of the Council in Trullo and of the Seventh Ecumenical. From this there seems but one conclusion possible, viz.: that the approval given was not specific but general.
[603] That is the canon of Holy Scripture. I have substituted my own Epitome, in the room of Johnson's, translating the original as it is found in Beveridge's Synodicon, Tom. II., p. 179. It is also in Aristenus's Epitome. Balsamon has no scholion on this passage.
IX.
The Canonical Answers of Timothy the Most Holy Bishop of Alexandria, Who was One of the CL Fathers Gathered Together at Constantinople, to the Questions Proposed to Him concerning Bishops and Clerics. [604]
Question I.
If a lad of seven years old, or a man, being a catechumen, being present at the oblation, does eat of it through ignorance, what shall be done in this case?
Answer. Let him be illuminated, i.e. baptized, for he is called by God.
Question II.
If baptism be desired for a catechumen that is possessed, what shall be done?
Answer. Let him be baptized at the hour of death, not otherwise.
Question III.
Ought a communicant to communicate, if he be possessed?
Answer. If he do not expose or blaspheme the Mysteries, let him communicate not always, but at certain times.
Question IV.
If a catechumen be sick, and in a frenzy, so that he cannot make profession of his faith, can he be baptized, at the entreaty of his friends?
Answer. He may, if he be not possessed.
Question V.
Can a man or woman communicate after performing the conjugal act over night?
Answer. No. 1 Cor. vii. 5.
Question VI.
The day appointed for the baptism of a woman; on that day it happened that the custom of women was upon her; ought she then to be baptized?
Answer. No, not till she be clean.
Question VII.
Can a menstruous woman communicate?
Answer. Not until she be clean.
Question VIII.
Ought a woman in child-bed to keep the Paschal fast?
Answer. No.
Question IX.
Ought a clergyman to perform the oblation, or pray, while an Arian or heretic is present?
Answer. As to the divine oblation, the deacon, after the kiss, makes a proclamation, "Let all that are not Communicants walk off;" therefore such persons ought not to be present, except they promise to repent, and renounce their heresy.
Question X.
Is a sick man obliged to keep the Paschal fast?
Answer. No.
Question XI.
If a clergyman be called to celebrate a marriage, and have heard that it is incestuous; ought he to comply, and perform the oblation?
Answer. No; he must not be partaker of other men's sins.
Question XII.
If a layman ask a clergyman whether he may communicate after a nocturnal pollution?
Answer. If it proceed from the desire of a woman, he ought not: but if it be a temptation from Satan, he ought; for the tempter will ply him when he is to communicate.
Question XIII.
When are man and wife to forbear the conjugal act?
Answer. On Saturday, and the Lord's day; for on those days the spiritual sacrifice is offered.
Question XIV.
Shall there be an oblation for him, who being distracted, murders himself?
Answer. Not except the case be very clear that he was distracted.
Question XV.
If one's wife be possessed to such a degree, as that she be bound with irons, and the man cannot contain, may he marry another?
Answer. I can only say it would be adultery so to do.
Question XVI.
If a man in washing or bathing, swallow a drop of water, may he communicate after it?
Answer. If Satan find an occasion of hindering us from the communion, he will the oftener do it.
Question XVII.
Are they, who hear the Word, and do it not, damned?
Answer. If we neither do it, or repent that we have not done it.
Question XVIII.
At what age are sins imputed to us by God?
Answer. According to every one's capacity and understanding; to one at ten, to another when older.
[604] Beveridge's Synodicon gives notes by Balsamon only.
X.
The Prosphonesus of Theophilus, Archbishop of Alexandria, When the Holy Epiphanies Happened to Fall on a Sunday. [605]