pressed upon the people. But the Church, which had been fiercely persecuted by Diocletian and Galerius, became the object of imperial favor under Constantine. At the same tim

nd cautiously extending to the Church privileges which the heathen religion had enjoyed (§ 59), and with the utmost caution repressing those elements in heathenism which might be plausibly construed as inimical to the new order in the state (§ 60). At the same time, Constantine found in the application of his policy to actual conditions that he could not favor every religious sect th

e under Constan

n of that centralization which had already been carried far by Diocletian, the same court ceremonial and all that went with it, and the development of the bureaucratic system of administration. The economic conditions steadily declined as the imperial system became constantly more burdensome (v. supra, § 55), and the changes in the distribution of wealth and the administration of landed property affected disastrously large sections of the populace. A characteristic feature of Roman society, which affected the position of the Church not a little, was the tendency to regard callings and trades as hereditary, and by the fourth century this was enforced by law. The aim of this legislation was to provide workmen to care for the great public undertakings for the support of the populace of the cities and for the maintenance of the public business. This policy affected both the humble

osianus, XIII,

A. D. 438. See § 80. It was intended to comprise all the laws of general applica

none the less he shall remain permanently among thos

osianus, XIII,

trimony liable to the duties of a shipman, although he may be of higher dignity, the privileges of honor shall be of no avail to him in this matter, but let him be held to this duty e

osianus, XIV, 4

which is liable to the functions of swineherd, and let themselves be held to the duty of swineherd, or let them name some suitable person whom they will, who shall satisfy the same requirement. For we suffer no one to be exempt from the obligation of this thing, but whether they [pg 280] have advanced in honors, or by some fraud have escaped, we command that they be brou

osianus, XII, 1

te the attempts of the curi

found not yet indebted to the chief centurion, are to be dismissed from the soldiery and returned to the same curi?;

osianus, XII, 1

and shall have attempted to make petitions concerning this or shall have relied upon any sort of fraud that he may escape the birth from h

us, XVI, 2, 3, cf. X

he place of the deceased who are of small fortune and are not held liable to civil burdens, we have learned that some have been molested, who before the promulgation [pg 281] of the said law had joined themselves to the company of the priests. Therefore we decree that

own the Church

of the State nor disestablished it. But he granted to his own religion favors similar to those enjoyed by the heathen religious systems (a-d), though these privileges were only for the Catholic Church, and not for heretics (e); and he passed such law

ini (PNF, ser. II, vol. I), II, 24-42. 46; IV, 18-2

cilianum, in Eusebius, His

is A. D. 313, though there is unce

d above, according to the brief sent unto thee by Hosius. But if thou shouldest find that anything is wanting for the fulfilment of this my purpose in regard to all of them, thou shalt demand without hesitation from Heracleides, our treasurer, whatever thou findest to be necessary. For I commanded him, when he was present, that if thy firmness should ask him for any money, he should see to it that it be paid without any delay. And since I have learned that some men of unsettled mind wish to turn the people from the most holy and Catholic Church by a certain method of shameful co

ulinum, in Eusebius, Hist.

e basis of exemptions of the clergy from public duties. The extension of thes

beneficence, it seemed good to me, most esteemed Anulinus, that those men who give their services with due sanctity and with constant observance of this law to the worship of the divine religion should receive recompense for their labors. Wherefore it is my will that those within the province intrusted to thee, in the Catholic Church over which C?cilianus presides, who give their services to this holy religion,

osianus, XVI, 2

ailed themselves of the clerical immunities to escape their burdens as curiales, a law was soon aft

called clergy-are altogether exempt from public obligations, so that they may not be

osianus, XVI, 2

This was a recognition of its corporate character

he is dying whatsoever goods he wishe

g

osianus, XVI, 5

. The State was, accordingly, forced by its exemptions and privileges granted the Church to take up a position as to here

only to those who observe the Catholic law. It is our will that heathen and schismatics

osianus, XVI, 2

vantages in the carrying out of their religion. This law, that Christians should not

by this decree, do ordain that if any one believes that those who observe the most sacred law ought to be compelled to take part in the rites of a strange superstition, let him,

; III, 12, 3; A. D. 3

s to be

Code see below,

the cultivation of the fields, because it frequently happens that no other days are better adapted for [pg 285] planting the grain in t

anus. VIII, 16, 1.

it had been forbidden under a fine and loss of rights under wills.

each one deserves. Neither let any one be held childless; and let them not suffer the penalties set for this. The same thing we hold regarding women, and freely to all we loose from their necks the commands which the law placed upon them as a certain y

ion of Heathenism

hat only as conditions became more favorable to active measures of repression he increased the severity of his laws against what was of doubtful legality in heathenism, though he was statesman enough to recognize the difference in the religious conditions between the East and the West, especially as to the hold which Christianity had upon the mass of the people. While his measures in the East [

Eusebius, Vita Constantini (

osianus, IX, 16

acrifices

reshold of another, under the penalty established against them if they contemn the law.96 But those of you who regard this rite, approach the public alt

sianus, XVI, 10,

tain circumstance

what it signifies, and let it be examined by the haruspices and very carefully written down, collected, and brought to our attention; to ot

dosianus. XV,

en temples need

for any new work before they complete the buildings [pg 287] left incomp

tist Schism un

f Carthage, and also with the notion prevalent in the same church, for which also Cyprian contended in the controversy on the baptism of heretics [see § 52], that the validity of a sacrament depended in some way upon the personal character of the minister of that sacrament. It was asserted by the partisans of Secundus, who elected Majorinus bishop of Carthage, that Felix of Aptunga, the consecrator of C?cilianus, who had been elected by the other party, had delivered the sacred books to the heathen officials, and was therefore guilty as a traditor. A schism, accordingly, arose in Carthage which spread rapid

antinum, in Augustine,

Anulinus, a man of proconsu

of the law and to divine things. After a few days, however, there arose some, to whom a crowd of people joined themselves, who thought that proceedings should be taken against C?cilianus and presented me a sealed packet wrapped in leather and a small document without seal, and earnestly requested that I should transmit them to the sacred and venerable court of your divinity, which your Majesty's most humble servant has taken care to do, C?cilianus continuing meanwhile as he was. The ac

g

ut the Unity of the Church by Means of Gen

ndangered by the disputes culminating in the Donatist schism; and when he became sole ruler of the Empire a new task of a similar character was to restore unity to the Church of the East, endangered by the Meletian schism in Egypt [v. supra, § 57, a], the Arian controversy in its first stage [v. infra, § 63], and the estrangement of the Asia Minor churches, due to the Easter controversy [v. supra, § 38]. It was a master-stroke of policy on the part of Constantine to use the Church's co

cil of Arle

is, in Eusebius, Hist. Ec., X, 5. (MSG, 20 :88

of Arles, see He

opinions and decisions were few, or that they had been too hasty and precipitate in giving judgment, before all the things which ought to have been accurately investigated had been examined-on account of all this it has happened that those very ones who ought to hold brotherly and harmonious relations toward each other are shamefully, or rather abominably, divided among themselves, and give occasion for ridicule to those men whose souls are alien as to this most holy religion. Wherefore it has seemed necessary to me to provide that this dissension, which ought to have ceased after the judgment had been already given, by their own voluntary agreement, should now, if possible, be brought to an end by the presence of many. Since, therefore, we have commanded a number of bishops from a great many different places to assemble in the city of Arles, before the calends of August, we have thou

Sylvester, Bishop of Rome, Bruns,

he only record extant of the action of the council. The text from which the following is translated is that given by the monks of St. Maur in their Collectio Concilio

week and computation of the time of year should be followed everywhere; the same decision was reached at Nic?a for the East (v

ism stood condemned. The thirteenth applied a similar principle to ordination; the crimes of the bishop who gave the ordination should not invalidate the ordination of a suitable person, as was claimed in the case of the ordination of C

the most holy lord and brother Sylvester. What we have decreed with general consent

ter, we have determined that it be observed on one day and at one time throu

resy to the Church they should ask him the creed; and if they should perceive that he had been baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the H

rs, it pleased us that these letters having been take

should be removed from the clerical order; though if the same have been found to have ordained any, and those whom they have ordained are worthy, it shall not render their ordination invalid. And because there are many who are seen

Council

. All church histories give large space to the

r, Socrates, Hist. Ec. I, 9. (MSG, 67 :77.

nd to our beloved brethren throughout Egypt, Libya, and Pentapolis, the bishops as

ll remained the contumacy of Meletius to be dealt with, and those who had been ordained by him; and we shall now state to you, beloved [pg 294] brethren, what resolution the synod came to on this point. Acting with more clemency toward Meletius, although, strictly speaking, he was wholly undeserving of favor, the council permitted him to remain in his own city, but decreed that he should exercise no authority either to ordain or nominate for ordination; and that he should appear in no other district or city on this pretence, but simply retain a nominal dignity; that those who had received appointments from him, after having been confirmed by a more legitimate ordination, should be admitted to communion on these conditions: that they should continue to hold their rank and ministry, but regard themselves as inferior in every respect to all those who had been previously ordained and established in each place and church by our most honored fellow-minister Alexander. In addition to these things, they shall have no authority to propose or nominate whom they please, or to do anything at all without the concurrence of a bishop of the Catholic Church, who is one of Alexander's suffragans. Let such as by the grace of God and your prayers have been found in no schism, but have continued in the Catholic Church blameless, have authority to nominate and ordain those who are worthy of the sacred office, and to act in all things according to ecclesiastical law and usage. Whenever it may happen that any of those placed in the Church die, then let such as have been recently admitted into orders be advanced to the dignity of the deceased, provided that they appear worthy, and that the people should elect them, and the bi

, Canon 8, On the No

e Novatians was regarded as valid. The following canon, although a generous concession on the part of the Church, did not bring about a healing of the schism wh

hose who have lapsed during the persecution, and upon whom a period of penance has been laid and a time for restoration fixed; so that in all things they will follow the teachings of the Catholic Church. Wheresoever, then, whether in villages or in cities, only these are found who have been ordained, let them remain as found among the clergy and in the same rank. But if any come over where there is a bishop or presbyter of the Catholic Church, it is manifest tha

osianus, XVI, 5

of Nic?a should be compared the mild and generous treatmen

laces suitable for burial that they are to possess, without any molestation, those buildings and lands, namely, which on ground of long possession or from purchase or claim for any sound reason th

g