Baxter - BR161 B28 1680

their councils abridged. under Agrippinus, which decreed the re-baptizing of thcfe that were bapti- zedby Hereticks : For which they are commonly now condemned. S. z I. And Binnius noteth that they had this from their Countryman Tertullian, whofe zeal againft?Heretickswas fo hot, that he would have nothing, no not Baptifm, commonwith them,; fo Baron. an. z17. n. i, a,, 3 & an. 258. n. i9, zo. Yet is this man now numbred with Hereticks. §. 22. 111. The Concilium Labefztunum is the next in order, where one Privarus *as condemned for anHeretick (mentionedby Cyprian, Epfi. 55.) But, faith Binnius, what his Herdicwas isnot known normentioned. s. 2 3. IV. Next we have an Arabian Council, in which the Errour of the Souls Mortality (allowing it only t¢ rife again with the Bodyat the Re- furreftion) wasexcellently: oppugnedand expugned by Origen ;- but it wa5 by that Origenwho himfelf is called a blafphemous Heretick. §. z4.. V. Thenext mentionedCouncil (Bin. ß. 558.) was at Rome, a- bout the reftoringof the Lapfed upon Cyprian's mótion. A bulïnefsthat made no final' diflention,while Lucianas and fomeothers made theChurch door too wide, and Novatus; and Novatianus made it too narrow, and Cyprianand the Resnais Clergy went a middle way : bitter and grievouswere theCenfures of each other, and long and fad the Schifins that did enfue, the rigour of theNovatiays being increafed by their Offence at other mens finfullatitude andtepidity. S. 25. By the way it is worth theconfidering by force Papifts, who makeboth a Biíhop Effential to aChurch, anda Pope to the Church-llni-. verfal, anddeny Church-Government to Presbyters, that this Council is faid to be called by the Roman Clergy (the Presbyters and Deacons), when.the Church had been a yearor two without a Bithop (through the Tharp perfecution of Deci es upon Fabian's Death). And it is to the Ro- manClergy (Presbyters and Deacons) that Cyprian at this time .wrotedi- vers of hisEpiitles, as they wrote to him; infomuch that Binnius Rick- ethnot to fay, that in this interceptors tile Roman Clergy had the care or chary of the Vniverfal Church. _guar. How far their Government, even ofBithops (whom they AfÍem- bled in this Council) was Canonical or valid ? S. 26. VI. After this there was anotherCouncil at Carthage,and two at Rome, and one in Italy, and another at Carthage, about the fame Contro verfie ; where it was determined that theLapfed fhould -be received to Re- pentance, and after a fufficient fpace of Penance, fhould còmmunicate, but not fooner And that the Bithops that lapfed should be uncapable of Epifcopacy and conimunrcate only with the Laity upon their penance: YetCyprian in time ofa renewed Perfecution thought meet to relax this, and take in the Penitent prefently, left they fho°uld be difeouraged under Suffering. But Foliciffimus one of-his Deacons made himfelf the Head of a Fadion, by taking men in byhisown Authority too foon, "and Novatas and Novatian, as is faid, being againft their taking into Communion at all, the Councils excommunicatedthem,all as Schifìiiaticks. Where note; F 2 that 35

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