The Third Epistle of the Same to the Same.

Ante-Nicene / Post-Nicene Fathers · 93 sections

chapter1
That one punishment be inflicted on lapsing clergymen, viz.: deposition, whether they be in dignity, or in the ministry which is given without imposition of hands.
chapter2
A woman delivered in the road, and neglecting her child, is guilty of murder, unless she was under necessity by reason of the solitude of the place, and the want of necessaries.
chapter3
A widow slave desiring to be married a second time, has, perhaps, been guilty of no great crime in pretending that she was ravished; not her pretence, but voluntary choice is to be condemned; but it is clear, that the punishment of digamy is due to her.
chapter4
That it is in the bishop’s power to increase or lessen penance for involuntary murder.
chapter5
They that are not ecclesiastics setting upon highwaymen, are repelled from the communion of the Good Thing; clergymen are deposed.
chapter6
He that wilfully commits murder, and afterwards repents, shall for twenty years remain without communicating of the Holy Sacrament. Four years he must mourn without the door of the oratory, and beg of the communicants that go in, that prayer be offered for him; then for five years he shall be admitted among the hearers, for seven years among the prostrators; for four years he shall be a co-stander with the communicants, but shall not partake of the oblation; when these years are completed, he shall partake of the Holy Sacrament.
chapter7
The involuntary murderer for two years shall be a mourner, for three years a hearer, four years a prostrator, one year a co-stander, and then communicate.
chapter8
The adulterer shall be four years a mourner, five a hearer, four a prostrator, two a costander.
chapter9
The fornicator shall be a mourner two years, two a hearer, two a prostrator, one a costander.
chapter10
Professed virgins and monks, if they fall from their profession, shall undergo the penance of adulterers.
chapter11
The thief, if he discover himself, shall do one year’s penance; if he be discovered by others two; half the time he shall be a prostrator, the other half a co-stander.
chapter12
He that abuses himself with mankind, shall do the penance of an adulterer.
chapter13
And so shall he who abuses himself with beasts, if they voluntarily confess it.
chapter14
The perjured person shall be a mourner two years, a hearer three, a prostrator four, a co-stander one.
chapter15
He that confesses conjuration, or pharmacy, shall do penance as long as a murderer.
chapter16
He that digs the dead out of their graves, shall be a mourner two years, a hearer three years, a prostrator four years, a co-stander one year.
chapter17
Incest with a sister is punished as murder.
chapter18
All incestuous conjunction, as adultery.
chapter19
A reader or minister lying with a woman he has only espoused, shall cease from his function one year; but if he have not espoused her, he shall [wholly] cease from his ministry.
chapter20
The priest or deacon that is polluted in lips, shall be made to cease from his function, but shall communicate with the priests or deacons. He that does more shall be deposed.
chapter21
He that is convicted to have been conscious to any of these crimes, but not discovered it, shall be treated as the principal.
chapter22
He that gives himself to divination, shall be treated as a murderer.
chapter23
He that denied Christ, is to be communicated at the hour of death, if he confess it, and be a mourner till that time.
chapter24
The bishop that has the power of binding and loosing, may lessen the time of penance, to an earnest penitent.
chapter25
He that commits incest with a half-sister, shall be a mourner three years, a hearer three years, a co-stander two years.
chapter26
And so shall he be who takes in marriage his son’s wife.
chapter27
He that divorces his wife, and marries another, is an adulterer; and according to the canons of the Fathers, he shall be a mourner one year, a hearer two years, a prostrator three years, a co-stander one year, if they repent with tears.
chapter28
So shall he who successively marries two sisters.
chapter29
So shall he who madly loves his mother-in-law, or sister.
chapter30
The Fathers say nothing of polygamy as being beastly, and a thing unagreeable to human nature. To us it appears a greater sin than fornication: Let therefore such as are guilty of it be liable to the canons, viz.: after they have been mourners one year—let them be prostrators three years—and then be received,
chapter31
They who in the invasion of the barbarians have after long torments, eaten of magical things offered to idols, and have sworn heathen oaths, let them not be received for three years; for two years let them be hearers, for three years prostrators, so let them be received; but they who did it without force, let them be ejected three years, be hearers two years, prostrators three years, co-standers three years, so let them be admitted to communion.
chapter32
They who by force have been driven to perjury, let them be admitted after six years; but if without force, let them be mourners two years, hearers two years, the fifth year prostrators, two years co-standers.
chapter33
They that follow heathenish customs, or bring men into their houses for the contriving pharmacies, or repelling them, shall be one year mourners, one year hearers, three years prostrators, one year co-standers.
chapter34
We do not judge altogether by the length of time, but by the circumstances of the penance. If any will not be drawn from their carnal pleasures, and choose to serve them rather than the Lord, we have no communication with them.
chapter35
Let us take care that we do not perish with them; let us warn them by night and day, that we may deliver them out of the snare or however save ourselves from their condemnation.
chapter36
(Found translated in lib. cit., p. 287, part of Epistle ccxxxvj.)
chapter37
Against the Encratites, who would not eat flesh.
chapter38
(Found translated in lib. cit., p. 212 et seqq. Epistle clx.)
chapter39
Contains the preface of his letter to Diodorus Bishop of Tarsus, in which he tells him of a letter shewed him in justification of a man’s marrying two sisters bearing his name; but he hopes it was forged.
chapter40
Contains the rest of the letter, in which he argues and inveighs against this practice.
chapter42
A letter to Gregory, an unmarried priest, charging him to dismiss a woman whom he kept, though he was 70 years of age, and declared himself free from all amorous affections; and St. Basil would seem to believe him in this particular; but cites the III. canon of Nice against this practice, bids him avoid scandal, place the woman in a monastery, and be attended by men: he threatens him that if he does not comply, he shall die suspended from his office, and give account to God: that he shall be an anathema to all the people, and they who receive him to communion be excommunicated.
chapter43
(Found translated in Vol. VIII. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, p. 157. Epistle liv.)
chapter44
A letter to his Village-bishop:598 he complains of the want of discipline of the multiplying of the clergy, and that without due examination and enquiry into their morals; that they had dropped the old custom, which was for the priests and deacons to recommend to the Village Bishop, who taking the testimonial, and giving notice of it to the City Bishop, did afterwards admit the minister into the sacerdotal list; that the number of the inferior clergy was unreasonably increased, especially in time of war, when men got into orders to avoid the press: he orders a list of the clergy in every village to be sent to him, and who admitted him, if any have been admitted into the inferior orders by priests, that they be looked on as laymen. Let not who will, put his name into the list. Re-examine those who are there, expel the unworthy, admit none without my consent for the future; if you do he shall be counted a layman.
chapter45
(Found translated in lib. cit., pp. 156 and 157. Epistle liii.)
chapter46
One letter to the bishop subject to him, wherein he prohibits to take money for orders, and to bring merchandize into the church, which is entrusted with the Body, and Blood of Christ; they had their pay after the ordination was performed; this he calls an artifice, and declares, that he who is guilty of it shall depart from the altar in his country, and go buy and sell the gift of God where he can.
chapter47
(Found translated in lib. cit., p. 40 et seqq.)
chapter48
He speaks of the written doctrine, and the unwritten tradition of the Apostles, and says, that both have the same efficacy as to religion. The unwritten traditions which he mentions, are the signing those who hope in Christ with the Cross; praying toward the East, to denote, that we are in quest of Eden, that garden in the East from whence our first parents were ejected (as he afterwards explains it), the words of invocation at the consecration of the Bread of Eucharist, and the cup of eulogy; the benediction of the baptismal water, the chrism and of the baptized person; the trine immersion, and the renunciations made at baptism; all which the Fathers concealed from those who were not initiated. He says the dogmata were always kept secret, the Kerugmata published; he adds the tradition of standing at prayer on the first day of the week, and the whole Pentecost (that is, from Easter to Whitsunday), not only to denote our rising with Christ, but as a prefiguration of our expecting an eternal perfect day, for the enjoyment of which we erect ourselves; and lastly, the profession of our faith in Father, Son and Holy Ghost at baptism.
chapter49
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.
chapter50
There is also in Tilius and Bishop Beveridge here599 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.
chapter52
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.
chapter53
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.
chapter54
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.
chapter55
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.
chapter56
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.
chapter57
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.
chapter58
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.
chapter59
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.
chapter60
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.
chapter61
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 deuterocanonical 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.
chapter63
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.
chapter64
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.
chapter65
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.
chapter66
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.
chapter67
Can a man or woman communicate after performing the conjugal act over night? Answer. No. 1 Cor. vii. 5.
chapter68
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.
chapter69
Can a menstruous woman communicate? Answer. Not until she be clean.
chapter70
Ought a woman in child-bed to keep the Paschal fast? Answer. No.
chapter71
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.
chapter72
Is a sick man obliged to keep the Paschal fast? Answer. No.
chapter73
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.
chapter74
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.
chapter75
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.
chapter76
Shall there be an oblation for him, who being distracted, murders himself? Answer. Not except the case be very clear that he was distracted.
chapter77
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.
chapter78
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.
chapter79
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.
chapter80
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.
chapter81.chapter82
Because the fast of Epiphany chances to fall on a Lord’s day, let us take a few dates, and so break our fast, and honour the Lord’s day, and shew our dislike of heresy, and yet not wholly neglect the fast which should be observed on this day; eating no more till our evening assembly at three afternoon.
chapter81.chapter83
Let the priests who have communicated with the Arians, be retained or rejected, as the custom of every church is; but so, that other orthodox priests be ordained, though the others continue. As the orthodox bishops did in Thebais, so let it be in other cities. They who were ordained by Bishop Apollo, and afterwards communicated with the Arians, if they did it of their own accord, let them be censured; but if they only did it in obedience to the bishop, let them be continued; but if all the people abdicate them, others must be ordained. And if Bistus the priest be found to have committed uncleanness with a woman dismissed from her husband, let him not be permitted to be a priest. But this is no prejudice to the bishop who ordained him, if he did it ignorantly; since the Holy Synod commands unworthy men to be ejected, though they be not convicted until after ordination.
chapter81.chapter84
Let Bishop Apollo’s sentence against his priest Sur prevail, though he has the liberty of being further heard.
chapter81.chapter85
If Panuph the deacon married his brother’s daughter before baptism, let him continue among the clergy, if she be dead, and he had not to do with her after his baptism; but if he married her, and cohabited with her while he was a communicant, let him be ejected from the clergy, without prejudice to the bishop who ordained him, if he did it ignorantly.
chapter81.chapter86
If it do evidently appear, that Jacob, while he was reader, did commit fornication, and was ejected by the priests (πρεσβυτέρων), and yet afterwards ordained, let him be ejected, and not otherwise.
chapter81.chapter87
That all in holy orders unanimously choose those who are to be ordained, and then the bishop examine them ; or that the bishop ordain them in the midst of the church, all that are in holy orders consenting, and the bishop with a loud voice asking the people, who are then to be present, whether they can give their testimony to the parties to be ordained ; and that ordination be not performed in private; if there be in the remote country, who while they were communicants with the Arians communicated in their opinions, let them not be ordained until they be examined by orthodox clergymen, in the presence of the bishop, who is to charge the people, that there be no running up and down in the middle of the church, or service.
chapter81.chapter88
Let the clergymen distribute all that is offered by way of sacrifice, after so much as was necessary has been consumed in the Mysteries. Let not the catechumens taste of them, but clergymen and communicants only.606
chapter81.chapter89
One, Hierax, had delated a clergyman as guilty of fornication. Bishop Apollo defended him. Theophilus orders the matter to be examined.
chapter81.chapter90
That an OEconomus be created, by the consent of all that are in Holy Orders, with the concurrence of Bishop Apollo, that so the goods of the Church be expended as they ought.
chapter81.chapter91
That the widows, poor, and travellers be not disturbed; and that no one make a property of the goods of the Church.
chapter81.chapter92
Whereas Maximus has for ten years lived in unlawful marriage, but pretends that it was through ignorance, and that they are now parted by mutual consent, let them stand among the catechumens, if it appear that they be in earnest.
chapter81.chapter93
Theophilus was informed, that the priest in Geminus, a village, had repelled Kyradium (a woman) from the communion: Theophilus approves of it, because she had done wrong, and was unwilling to make satisfaction; but orders her to be admitted to communion upon repentance.
chapter81.chapter94
Because the great synod held at Nice has decreed, That the clergymen who come over to the Church from the Novatians be ordained; do you ordain those that come over, if their life be upright, and there be no objection.
chapter81.chapter95
This letter contains a complaint of one, Peter, deposed from his See, yet retaining the character of a bishop, who thought his cause good, but complains that he had not time and opportunity given him for his defence; and that whatever he had, was taken away from him. He desires Domnus, who was a Metropolitan, that he would call a synod, and let him have a hearing; and that such bishops as Peter suspected of prejudice against him should not be permitted to be his judges. He thinks it very hard, that not only what belonged to the Church, but every thing else was taken from him; and complains that all bishops were called to account for every thing they received, whether from the Church, or by any other means. Peter had indeed signed an instrument of resignation; but Cyril says, that he was terrified into it; and that he would have no such resignation be of force except he that made it deserved deposition.
chapter81.chapter96
There is another Epistle of the same father, complaining to the bishops of Libya and Pentapolis. That some who had been refused ordination by their own bishop, or cast out of the monasteries for their irregularity, were ordained by a surprise upon some other bishop, and that just as they came from their bride-bed, and then went and performed the oblation, or any other office, in the monasteries from which they had been ejected, which gave great offence. He charges the bishops to take care of this for the future and, if any were to be ordained, to enquire into their lives, and whether they are married, and when, and how; and orders, that catechumens, who had been separated for lapsing, be baptized at the hour of death.
chapter81.chapter97
To the most beloved of God, fellow-minister, Gennadius and the most holy synod assembled in the royal city which is New Rome, sendeth greeting. As our Lord without money and without price ordained his Apostles, so should we ordain the clergy, for the Lord has placed us in their grade and in their stead (ἐις τὸν ἐκείνων βαθηόν τε καὶ τόπον). Nor should we use any ingenious sophisms to avoid this plain duty, explicitly laid upon us, not only by the words of the Gospel but also by a canon of the great Ecumenical Synod of Chalcedon.

Edited by Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D. TEI XML digitization by the University of Leipzig (Gregory Crane, Matt Munson, Digital Divide Data), via github.com/gregorycrane/nicenefathers @ 4eb88bc1d116edee81b83eb71bfeda46ef973b47. Originally published by Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International).