Next, It is well known to the searchers of Antiquity, that there were four degrees of public declaration of repentance, [Greek or Hebrew]: Which the Latins call fl•us, auditio, substratio, consistentia: After all which followed [Greek or Hebrew], the participation of the Sacrament, which they were at last admitted unto, and is therefore mentioned by some as the fifth degree, though (to speak properly) it was not penal, nor any degree of censure as the other four were. First, The penitent was kept weeping at the Church door, beseeching those that went in to pray for him: thereafter he was admitted to hear the Word afar off among the Catechumens: In the third place there was a preparatory reconciliation or reception into the Church, with prayer and imposition of hands, which being done, the man was in some sort admitted into Christian fellowship, and acknowledged for a brother, yet after the Word and Prayer. he went forth with the Catechumens before the Sacrament. But there was a fourth degree after all this; he might stay in the Church, and see and hear in the celebration of the Sacrament, after the Catechumens and the three first sort of penitents were dismissed, yet still he was suspended from partaking of the Sacrament, for a certain time after he was brought to this fourth and last step: tSo cautious were those Ancients in admitting of men to the Sacrament, till they perceived lasting, continuing, clear, and real evidences of true repentance. Three of the degrees above-mentioned are found in the Canons of the Council of Ancyra. and of the Council of Nice, namely the three last. The first which did not admit a man so much as into the Church to the hearing of the Word, as it was afterwards added, so it is not so justifiable as the other three. But here is the point I desire may be well observed, that of old in the fourth and ⟨p. 558⟩fifth, yea in the third Century, umen were admitted not only to the hearing of the Word, but to prayer with the Church, who yet were not admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.
Next, It is well known to the searchers of Antiquity, that there were four degrees of publike declaration of repentance, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉: Which the Latines call fl•us, auditio, substratio, consistentia: After all which followed 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, the participation of the Sacrament, which they were at last admitted unto, and is therefore mentioned by some as the fifth degree, though (to speak properly) it was not poenal, nor any degree of censure as the other four were. First, The penitent was kept weeping at the Church door, beseeching those that went in to pray for him: thereafter he was admitted to hear the Word afar off among the Catechumens: In the third place there was a preparatory reconciliation or reception into the Church, with prayer and imposition of hands, which being done, the man was in some sort admitted into Christian fellowship, and acknowledged for a brother, yet after the Word and Prayer. he went forth with the Catechumens before the Sacrament. But there was a fourth degree after all this; he might stay in the Church, and see and hear in the celebration of the Sacrament, after the Catechumens and the three first sort of penitents were dismissed, yet still he was suspended from partaking of the Sacrament, for a certain time after he was brought to this fourth and last step: tSo cautious were those Ancients in admitting of men to the Sacrament, till they perceived lasting, continuing, clear, and real evidences of true repentance. Three of the degrees above-mentioned are found in the Canons of the Councel of Ancyra. and of the Councel of Nice, namely the three last. The first which did not admit a man so much as into the Church to the hearing of the Word, as it was afterwards added, so it is not so justisicable as the other three. But here is the point I desire may be well observed, that of old in the fourth and ⟨p. 558⟩fifth, yea in the third Century, umen were admitted not only to the hearing of the Word, but to prayer with the Church, who yet were not admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.
- tAlbaspinaeus Observ. lib. 2. Observ. 25. Quod si quaeratur quam ob rem antiqui quartum illum gradum posuerint &c. Nulla potest c•ngruentior commodio• que […] ratio, quam quae ex reverentia ac Religiene petitur, qua adversus, sanctam Eucha•istiam fe•ebantur: detetestabile q•ippe Deo & hominilus, non solum existurabant hominem, vel levissima macula inquindium, aut maculae nebula •ffusum, ad E•haristiam accedere, sed etiam periculosum absolutes penitents eam tangere & a•ectare, quo• •on satis sancti & sanctificati censebantur, quibus tanta res committeretur.Albaspinaeus Observ. lib. 2. Observ. 25. Quod si quaeratur quam ob rem antiqui quartum illum gradum posuerint &c. Nulla potest c•ngruentior commodio• que 〈…〉 ratio, quam quae ex reverentia ac Religiene petitur, qua adversus, sanctam Eucha•istiam fe•ebantur: detetestabile q•ippe Deo & hominilus, non solum existurabant hominem, vel levissima macula inquindium, aut maculae nebula •ffusum, ad E•haristiam accedere, sed etiam periculosum absolutes poeni•entes eam tangere & a•ectare, quo• •on satis sancti & sanctificati censebantur, quibus tanta res committeretur.
- uCausabon Exerc. 1•. pag. 397. edit. Francof. 1615. [Greek or Hebrew] igitur c mysteriis Genti•m vox accepta, appellabatur statio inter fideles: ibi poenitentes duos persape annos agebant; quod ad caetera ejusdem conditionis cum fidelibus; neque jam cum Catechumenis exibant; sola participation mysteriorum caeteris fraribus inferiores.
