Church. And we learn from thence also, that the practice was so universal, that the heretics themselves did not omit it, though it was esteemed of no effect by the Catholics when done by them, but looked upon only as a mock-practice, where one demoniac exorcized another, as Cæcilius à Bilta 68 phrases it in the same Council. Ferrandus Diaconus 69 also speaks of this exorcism, which immediately followed the scrutiny or examination of the competentes. And the like testimonies may be seen in Petrus Chrysologus 70, and the second Council of Bracara1, for the practice of the Italic and Spanish Churches. In the last of which it is particularly specified, that these exorcisms shall continue for twenty days before baptism. Gennadius of Marseilles 72 testifies not only for the French Church, but the universal Church throughout the whole world, that exorcisms and exsufflations were uniformly used both to infants and adult persons, before they were admitted to the sacrament of regeneration and fountain of life. And for the Greek Church in particular, though the Author of the Apostolical Constitutions, for a peculiar reason, makes no mention of this ceremony, because he represents the business of an exorcist 73, not as a standing and ordinary office in the Church, but 68 Ibid. p. 230. (p. 158. n. 1.) ... Apud hæreticos... omnia per mendacium aguntur, ubi exorcizat dæmoniacus, &c. 69 Ep. ad Fulgent. de Catechiz. Æthiop. inter Fulgent. Oper. p. 606. (ap. Bibl. Max. t. 9. p. 172 h. 16.)... Celebrato solemniter scrutinio, per exorcismum contra diabolum vindi catur. 70 Serm. 52. (p.83.) Hinc est quod veniens ex gentibus impositione manus et exorcismis ante a dæmone purgatur.-Serm. 105. (p. 158.) Qui solo verbo fugarat dæmones, et infirmitates omnes sola sanaverat jussione: quare super hanc mulierem suas imponit manus? Quare circa istam curandi ordinem novat, nisi quia jam tunc in una sanat omnes? Immo quia non ante suscipit ecclesiam, nisi eam, per impositionem manuum suarum, purget a diabolo, et faciat Christianam: et amplius faciendorum Christianorum curam præsentis curæ formet, et instituat sacramento. 71 [Al. Bracar. 3.] c. 1. (t. 5. p. 896 d.) Ante viginti dies baptismi ad purgationem exorcismi concurrant catechumeni, &c. 72 De Dogmat. Eccles. c. 31. Illud etiam, quod circa baptizandos in universo mundo sancta ecclesia uniformiter agit, non otioso contemplamur intuitu: cum sive parvuli sive juvenes ad regenerationis veniunt sacramentum, non prius fontem vitæ adeant, quam exorcismis et exsufflationibus clericorum spiritus ab eis immundus abigatur. [This passage, which, with many other portions of the Treatise here cited, is rejected by the Benedictines, (see my note on De Dogmat. Eccles. c. 30, cited afterwards, b. 15. ch. 3. s. 21.) will be found ap. Celestin. Epist. ad Gall. Episc. c. 4. (int. Oper. August. t. 10. append. p. 134.) ED.] 73 L. 8. c. 26. (Cotel. v. 1. p. 410.) Επορκιστὴς οὐ χειροτονεῖται· εὐνοίας γὰρ ἑκουσίου τὸ ἔπαθλον, καὶ χάριτος as an extraordinary and miraculous gift of God, as it was in the age of the Apostles; yet Gregory Nazianzen and Cyril of Jerusalem are undeniable evidences of the practice. For Nazianzen, in his Oration upon Baptism 74, thus bespeaks his catechumen: Despise not thou the medicinal office of exorcism, neither grow weary of the length or continuance of it; for it is a proper trial of a man's sincerity in coming to the grace of baptism.' Cyril 75 in like manner bids his catechumen, 'to receive exorcism with diligence in the time of catechizing:' for, whether it was insufflation or exorcism, it was to be esteemed salutary to the soul; for as mixed metals could not be purged without fire, so neither could the soul be purged without exorcisms, which were divine, and gathered out of the Holy Scriptures.' He adds a little after, that the exorcists did thus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, cast a terror upon the Evil Spirit, and make him fly from the soul, and leave it in a salutary state and hope of eternal life.' Where we may observe two things that give great light in this matter. First, why it is so often called by the Ancients the fire of exorcism; because it purges the soul, and as it were fires the Evil Spirit from it. Secondly, that these exorcisms were nothing but prayers, collected and composed out of the words of the Holy Scripture, to beseech God to break the dominion and power of Satan in new converts, and to deliver them from his slavery by expelling the spirit of error and wickedness from them. Θεοῦ διὰ Χριστοῦ, ἐπιφοιτήσει τοῦ ̔Αγίου Πνεύματος· ὁ γὰρ λαβὼν χάρισμα ἰαμάτων δι ̓ ἀποκαλύψεως ὑπὸ Θεοῦ ἀναδείκνυται, φανερᾶς οὔσης πᾶσι τῆς ἐν αὐτῷ χάριτος. 74 Orat. 40. (t. I. p. 657 a.) Μὴ διαπτύσης ἐξορκισμοῦ θεραπείας, μηδὲ πρὸς τὸ μῆκος ταύτης ἀπαγορεύσης: βάσανός ἐστι καὶ αὕτη τῆς περὶ τὸ χάρισμα γνησιότητος. 75 Præf. ad Catech. n. 5. [al. 9.] p. 7. (p. 7 b.) Τοὺς ἐπορκισμοὺς δέχου μετὰ σπουδῆς, κἂν ἐμφυσηθῇς, κἂν ἐπορκισθῇς, σωτηρία σοι τὸ πρᾶγμα νόμισον εἶναι· ἀργὸν χρυσὸν, καὶ δεδολωμένον, ποικίλαις ὕλαις ἀναμεμιγε μένον, χαλκῷ, καὶ κασσιτέρῳ, καὶ σιδήρῳ, καὶ μολύβδῳ, ζητοῦμεν τὸν χρυσὸν μόνον ἔχειν. Χρυσὸς μὴ δύναται ἄνευ πυρὸς καθαρθῆναι τὰ ἀνοίκεια· .... οὕτως ἄνευ ἐπορκισμῶν οὐ δύναται καθαρθῆναι ψυχή· εἰσὶ δὲ θεῖοι, ἐκ θείων γραφῶν συνεκλεγμένοι .... ὃν γὰρ τρόπον οἱ τῆς χρυσοχοϊκῆς ἐργασίας .. τὸ πνεῦμα τῷ πυρὶ παρεμβάλλοντες, καὶ τὸ ἐν τῇ χώνῃ κεκρυμμένον χρυσίον ἀναφυσῶντες τὴν παρακειμένην ἐρεθίζοντες φλόγα εὑρίσκουσι τὸ ζητούμενον, οὕτω τῶν ἐπορκιζόντων διὰ Πνεύματος θείου ἐμβαλλόντων τὸν φόβον, καὶ ὥσπερ ἐν χώνῃ τῷ σώματι τὴν ψυχὴν ἀναζωπυρούντων, φεύγει μὲν ὁ ἐχθρὸς δαίμων, παραμένει δὲ ἡ σωτηρία, καὶ παραμένει ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς, καὶ λοιπὸν ἡ ψυχὴ κατ θαρθεῖσα τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, ἔχει τὴν σωτηρίαν.—Conf. Catech. 1. n. 5. p. 18. (p. 18 c.) Σχόλασον εἰς τοὺς πορκισμούς, [al. ἐξορκισμούς,] κ.τ.λ. Partly by the exer. Therefore Cyril 77 in another place calls them λóyo €ʊxîs, the words of prayer, by which a devil or a demoniac, who could not be held in chains of iron by many, was often held by one, through the power of the Holy Ghost working in him; and the bare insufflation of an exorcist was a fire of sufficient force to expel the invisible spirits. So that the whole business of exorcism, and the power of it, is to be resolved into prayer; some forms of which are now extant in the Euchologium, or Rituals of the Greek Church, published by Goar 78, and in the Rituals of the ancient Gallican Church, published by Mabillon79. From whence also it appears, that the insufflation, and imposition of hands, and the sign of the cross, which was used at the same time, as we find in the writings of St. Austin 80, and St. Ambrose 81, were only looked upon as decent ceremonies or concomitants of prayer; to whose energy, and not to the bare ceremonies, the whole efficacy and benefit of this part of the catechumens' discipline is to be attributed. For though the ceremonies be sometimes only mentioned, yet prayer is always to be understood, and to be taken for the substance of the action, whilst the other were only the circumstances of it. 9. During this same term of twenty days the catechumens 77 Catech. 16. n. 9. [al. 19.] p. 234. (p. 254 c.) Пoλλákis ó dαíμov, ὁ σιδηραίοις δεσμοῖς ὑπὸ πολλῶν μὴ κρατούμενος, λόγοις εὐχῆς ἐκρατήθη ὑπ ̓ αὐτοῦ, διὰ τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ δύναμιν τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος· καὶ τὸ ἁπλοῦν ἐμφύσημα τοῦ ἐπορκίζοντος πῦρ γίνεται τῶν μὴ φαινομένων. 78 Paris. 1647.(pp.335, seqq.)'Emτιμᾷ σε Κύριος, Διάβολε, ὁ παραγενόμενος εἰς τὸν κόσμον, καὶ κατασκηνώσας ἐν ἀνθρώποις· ἵνα τὴν σὴν καθέλῃ τυpavvíða kaì Tovs åvėpátovs é§éλnrai, κ. τ. λ. 79 Musæum Italicum. (t. I. part. 2. p. 323.) Facies signum † in eum [Christianum faciendum] et dices symbolum. Accipe signum crucis tam in fronte, quam in corde. Semper etso fidelis. Templum Dei ingredere; idola derelinque. Cole Deum Patrem Omnipotentem, et Jesum Christum filium ejus, qui venturus est judicare vivos, et mortuos, et sæculum, per ignem, cum Spiritu Sancto, in sæcula sæculo rum. Post hæc insufflabis in os ejus ter, et dices, Accipe Spiritum Sanctum, et in corde teneas. 80 Confess. 1. 1. c. II. (t. I. p. 76 b.) .... Et conturbata mater carnis meæ curaret... ut sacramentis salutaribus initiarer et abluerer, te, Domine Jesu, confitens in remissionem peccatorum, &c.—[Conf. de Symbol. 1. 4. c. 1. (t. 6. p. 575 e.) Omnia sacramenta, quæ acta sunt et aguntur in vobis per ministerium servorum Dei, exorcismis, orationibus, canticis spiritalibus, insufflationibus, cilicio, inclinatione cervicum, humilitate pedum... hæc omnia, ut dixi, escæ sunt, quæ vos reficiunt in utero, ut renatos ex baptismo hilares vos mater exhibeat Christo. ED.] 81 De iis qui initiantur, [al. De Mysteriis,] c.4. (t. 2. p. 330b. n. 20.) Credit autem etiam catechumenus in crucem Domini Jesu, qua et ipse signatur. stinence, repentance. were also exercised with abstinence and fasting, as a suitable cises of fastpreparation for their ensuing baptism. The fourth Council of ing and abCarthage has a canon 82 which joins all these things together: and confesLet such, as give in their names to be baptized, be exercised sion, and a long time with abstinence from wine and flesh, and with imposition of hands, and frequent examination, and so let them receive their baptism.' In like manner St. Austin 83 puts abstinence, fastings, and exorcism together, and particularly mentions abstinence from the marriage-bed, during this time of preparation for baptism. So Socrates 84 tells us, when the Burgundians desired baptism of a French bishop, he first made them fast seven days. And when a certain Jewish impostor, who had been baptized by the Arians and Macedonians, came at last to Paul, the Novatian bishop, to desire the like favour of him, the same authors observes, that Paul would not admit him, till he had first exercised him with fasting many days, and taught him the rudiments of the Christian faith.' These fastings are also mentioned by Justin Martyr and Tertullian, where they speak of men's preparation for baptism. As many,' says Justin Martyr 86, as believe the things to be true, which we teach, and promise to conform their lives to the law of our religion, first of all learn to ask pardon of their by-past sins of 82 C. 84. [al. 85.] (t. 2. p. 1206 d.) Baptizandi nomen suum dent, et, diu [sub] abstinentia vini et carnium, ac manus impositione, crebra examinatione, [al. examinati,] baptismum percipiant. 83 De Fid. et Oper. c. 6. (t. 6. p. 169 b.) . . . . Quo sine dubio non admitterentur, si per ipsos dies quibus eandem gratiam percepturi, suis nominibus datis, abstinentia, jejuniis, exorcismisque purgantur, cum suis legitimis et veris uxoribus se concubituros profiterentur, atque hujus rei, quamvis alio tempore licitæ, paucis ipsis solemnibus diebus nullam continentiam servaturos. 84 L. 7. c. 30. (v. 2. p. 379. 19.) . . . Ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας παρασκευ άσας νηστεῦσαι αὐτοὺς, καὶ τὴν πίς στιν κατηχήσας αὐτοὺς, τῇ ὀγδόῃ ἡμέρᾳ βαπτίσας ἀπέλυσε. 85 Ibid. c. 17. (p. 363. 1.) Ἰουδαῖος τὶς ἀπατεὼν Χριστιανίζειν ὑποκρινό μενος, πολλάκις ἐβαπτίζετο, καὶ διὰ 86 Apol. 2. (p. 93 e.) "Οσοι ἂν πει- Partly by God, by prayers and fastings, we joining our prayers and fastings with theirs.' So Tertullian 87: They, that are about to receive baptism, must first use frequent prayers and fastings, and geniculations and watchings, and make confession of all their former sins, in imitation of John's baptism, taking it for a favour that they are not obliged to make public confession of their flagitious crimes and offences.' Whence we may conclude, that these confessions were sometimes public, and sometimes private, as directed by the wisdom of the Church. They who would see more of this matter may consult St. Cyril's Catechetic Discourses 88, and Gregory Nazianzen's Oration about Baptism 89, who to confession, and prayers, and fasting, add humicubations, and groans, and tears, and forgiving of enemies, as proper indications of a penitent mind, before men came to receive the seal of forgiveness at God's hand by the ministry of his Church. 10. At this time also the competentes were taught the words learning the of the Creed, which they were obliged to get by heart, in order the Creed to repeat it before the bishop at their last examination before words of and the Lord's Prayer. baptism. This part of catechizing was often performed by the bishop himself, as we may learn from those words of St. Ambrose 90, where he thus distinguishes the competentes from the other catechumens: When the catechumens were dismissed, I recited the Creed to the competentes in the baptisteries of the 87 De Bapt. c. 20. (p. 232 b.) In- 88 Catech. 1. n. 5. p. 18. (p. 18 c.) 89 Orat. 40. (t. I. p. 657 a.) M τίαν, εἰδὼς ὅπως Ἰωάννης ἐβάπτισεν, ἵνα τὴν ἐκεῖθεν αἰσχύνην, τῇ ἐνταῦθα púyns.-Ibid. (p. 660 b.) Kadóv σol βοήθημα πρὸς τὸ τυχεῖν, ὧν ἐπιποθεῖς, ἀγρυπνίαι, νηστείαι, χαμευνίαι, προσευχαί, δάκρυον, οἶκτος, τῶν δεομένων perádoots.-Ibid. (d.) 'Eày xpe@PELλέτην λάβῃς προσπίπτοντα, πᾶσαν συγγραφὴν ἄδικον καὶ δικαίαν διάσπασον μνήσθητι τῶν μυρίων ταλάν των, ὧν σοι Χριστὸς ἐχαρίσατο· μὴ γένῃ πράκτωρ πικρὸς τοῦ ἐλάττονος χρέους, καὶ ταῦτα τίσι; τοῖς ὁμοδούλοις, ὁ τὸ πλέον παρὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου συγχωρηθείς, μὴ καὶ τῆς ἐκείνου φιλανθρωπίας υπόσχῃς δίκην, ἣν οὐκ ἐμιμήσω λαβὼν ὑπόδειγμα. 90 Ep. 33. [al. 20.] ad Marcellin. p. 158. (t. 2. p. 853 b. n. 4.) . . . . Dimissis catechumenis, symbolum aliquibus competentibus in baptisteriis tradebam basilica. |