letters dimissory to the country clergy, who wished to remove from one diocese to another; 4. They might officiate in the city church in the presence of the city Bishop, and city Presbyters; 5. They had the privilege of sitting and voting in Councils or Synods. It is however to be observed, that the privileges of Chorepiscopi varied in different places; and according to the Council of Antioch, Can. x. one Bishop only was required to ordain a Chorepiscopus, whilst three were required to ordain a city Bishop. The office did not continue many centuries in the Church. Bingham, b. ii. c. xiv.

3. Two Bishops in the city.] The rule of one Bishop only in a city was of universal observance in the Church from the very beginning. Ignatius, and all the writers after him who have spoken of Bishops, always speak of a single Bishop in every Church. All attempts to ordain a second were condemned and resisted. Thus, when the Emperor Constantius desired the Roman people to let Liberius and Felix sit as copartners, and govern the Church in common, they unanimously rejected the proposition, crying out, "One God, one Christ, one Bishop." This rule however did not apply to the case of coadjutors, when the Bishop, from old age or infirmity, was unable to perform the duties of his office.

There are also two other cases mentioned by Bingham, in which, according to the opinion of some persons, two Bishops were occasionally allowed in one city. The first of these indeed is supposed even by its supporters to have prevailed only during the time of the Apostles, and in some few places, in which, from there being many Jewish and Gentile converts, two Bishops they think were allowed; one for the Jews and the other for the Gentiles. This opinion, however, is not supported by any good authority, and the very few instances which are adduced in favor of it are utterly inconclusive. It seems indeed hardly credible that the Apostles should have sanctioned a practice, which would naturally have impeded if not prevented that amalgamation of Jew and Gentile in one body, which it was their great object to effect.

The other case mentioned by Bingham, is that of two Bishops being sometimes allowed by way of compromise, in order to end

a dispute, or cure an inveterate schism. There is no evidence, however, of such a compromise having ever been sanctioned by the Church. The offer made by Meletius, Bishop of Antioch, to Paulinus, of sharing the episcopal authority between them, and the survivor's succeeding to the whole, was only the offer of an individual Bishop, and did not take effect. The similar offer made by the orthodox Bishops of Africa to the Donatists, which is the only other instance mentioned, is equally inconclusive; indeed, the alternative which these Bishops added proves that they felt their offer to be contrary to the rules of the Church, "But forasmuch as this method might not be acceptable to all Christian people, who would be much better pleased to see only a single Bishop in every Church, and perhaps would not endure the partnership of two, which was an unusual thing," they therefore proposed in this case, that both the Bishops should freely resign, and suffer a single Bishop to be chosen by such Bishops as were singly possessed of other churches. Bingham, b. ii. c. xiii. and Beveridge in Can.

IX. 1. Their sins.] This seems more particularly to mean such offences or practices as incapacitated a man, according to the rules of the Church, for ordination. See Apost. Can. xvii. xviii. xix. xxii. which appear to be the Canons here referred to.

XI. 1, Licinius.] Licinius, who, after the defeat and death of Maxentius, A. D. 312, and of Maximin, A. D. 313, shared the empire with Constantine, was at first favorably disposed towards the Christians, and, in conjunction with Constantine, issued a decree, A. D. 312, granting to them full power to live according to their own laws and institutions; which power was specified still more clearly in another edict, drawn up at Milan in the following year. The joy of the Christians at these favorable events was, however, soon interrupted by the war which broke out between Licinius and Constantine. Licinius being defeated, A. D. 314, made a treaty with Constantine, which he observed for some years, but then broke out in another war. In order to engage the friends of the old superstition on his side, he cruelly persecuted the Christians. This persecution commenced about A. D. 320, and lasted till the final overthrow of Licinius, A. D. 324, the year before the assembling of the Council of Nice,

2. The hearers.] The three classes of penitents mentioned in this Canon were those who, according to the penitential discipline of the primitive Church, were permitted to enter into the body of the Church, and to join in certain parts of the service. There was also another class, not mentioned in the present Canon, who were called ovykλaivvres, flentes, or weepers, and who were not allowed that privilege, but stood or lay without the gates of the church, sometimes covered with sackcloth and ashes, begging the prayers of the faithful as they passed in. This class is called in some of the other Canons xeoμévo, hybernantes, on account of their being thus obliged to remain without the church, exposed to the weather. It may help to the better understanding of this and the other Canons which notice the different orders of penitents, to give a short account of the usual form and arrangement of the ancient Churches, as well as of the different orders of penitents themselves.

Before the church, there was commonly either an open area surrounded with porticos, callled pecaúdiov, or atrium, with a pool of water, called cantharus or phiala, in the centre, or sometimes only an open portico, or ponúλatov. This was the place in which the first and lowest order of penitents, the weepers, stood exposed to the weather.

The church itself usually consisted of three divisions within, besides these exterior courts and porch. The first part after passing through "the great gates," or doors of the building, was called the Narthex in Greek, and Ferula in Latin, and was a narrow vestibule extending the whole width of the church. In this part to which Jews and Gentiles, and in most places even heretics and schismatics were admitted, stood the Catechumens, and the Energumens, or those afflicted with evil spirits, and the second class of penitents (the first mentioned in the Canon) who were called the ȧxpoμevoi, audientes, or hearers. These were allowed to hear the Scriptures read, and the Sermon preached, but were obliged to depart before the Common Prayers began, with the Catechumens, and the others who went by the general name of hearers only.

The second division, or main body of the church, was called the Naos or Nave. This was separated from the Narthex by

rails of wood, with gates in the centre, which were called “the beautiful or royal gates." In the middle of the Nave, but rather towards the lower or entrance part of it, stood the Ambo, or reading desk, the place for the readers and singers, to which they went up by steps, whence the name, Ambo. Before coming to the Ambo, in the lowest part of the Nave and just after passing the royal gates, was the place for the third order of penitents, called in Greek γονυκλίνοντες, oι ὑποπίπτοντες, and in Latin Genuflectentes or Prostrati, i. e. kneelers or prostrators, because they were allowed to remain and join in certain prayers particularly made for them, whilst they were kneeling, or prostrate on the ground. In the other parts of the Nave stood the believers or faithful, i. e. those persons who were in full communion with the Church, the men and women generally on opposite sides, though in some places the men were below, and the women in galleries above. Amongst these were the fourth class of penitents, who were called ovvεOTTES, consistentes, i. e. co-standers, because they were allowed to stand with the faithful, and to remain and hear the prayers of the Church, after the Catechumens and the other penitents were dismissed, and to be present whilst the faithful offered and communicated, though they might not themselves make their offerings, nor partake of the Holy Communion. This class of penitents are frequently mentioned in the Canons, as communicating in prayers, or without the oblation; and it was the last grade to be passed through previous to the being admitted again to full communion.

At the upper end of the body of the Church, and divided from it by rails which were called Cancelli, was that part which we now call the Chancel. This was anciently called by several names, as Bema or tribunal, from its being raised above the body of the Church, and Sacrarium or sanctuary. It was also called Apsis and Concha Bematis, from its semicircular end. In this part stood the Altar, or holy Table, (which names were indifferently used in the primitive Church,) behind which, and against the wall of the Chancel, was the Bishop's throne, with the seats of the Presbyters on each side of it. On one side of the Chancel was the repository for the sacred utensils and vestments, called the Diaconicum, and answering to our Vestry; and on the other

the Prothesis, a side table, or place, where the bread and wine were deposited before they were offered on the Altar. The gates in the Chancel rail were called the holy gates, and none but the higher orders of the Clergy, i. e. Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, were allowed to enter within them. The Emperor indeed was permitted to do so for the purpose of making his offering at the Altar, but then he was obliged to retire immediately, and to receive the Communion without. For a full account of the various particulars mentioned in this note, both as regards the ancient Churches, and the course of penitential discipline, see Beveridge on the Canon, and Bingham, b. viii. c. 3. and b. xviii.

XII. 1. Those who have been called.] This Canon apparently relates to those of the military order, who had lapsed in the persecution of Licinius spoken of in the preceding Canon. Licinius, as Eusebius relates, issued an edict, that all of the military order should be deprived of their offices and rank, who would not sacrifice to the heathen gods. Many Christians rather than do this, "laid aside their girdles,” i. e. gave up their station in the army, and retired from the military life; but afterwards some of them, as appears from the Canon, sought again their former employ. ments, and so denied their Christian profession, and apostatized from Christ. They were, therefore, subjected to a longer penance than the persons mentioned in the preceding Canon.

XIII. 1. Concerning those.] This Canon seems to have been introduced with particular reference to the persons mentioned in the two preceding Canons, and to whom very long terms of penitence had been assigned. It was, however, the general practice of the Church, not to deny to any penitents, who were in imminent danger of death, the participation of the Eucharist, which was in such cases termed, as in this Canon, ¿pódiov, viaticum, i. e. the preparation or provision for their journey to the other world. In some places indeed, and particularly in the Spanish Churches, certain very great offenders were excluded from this token of reconciliation; but not even the Novatian heretics denied that even the greatest sinners would have their sins forgiven by God, if their repentance was sincere, although they would not give them the Eucharist as a token of their reconciliation in this life.

2. In prayers only.] According to this Canon, a penitent who