have received letters of recommendation from the Martyrs, and can thereby be benefited before God, should any danger from sickness threaten, may, in our absence, confess their crime to some Priest who is at hand, in order that, by the imposition of his hand in penance, they may appear in the presence of God in that peace, which the Martyrs in their letters requested should be imparted to them.” Ep. xii.ad Clerum. p. 22.—“I sufficiently signified to you, that they who had received letters from the Martyrs, and could be aided by them before God, might, in case of danger, having confessed their crime, and received absolution, be dismissed to the Lord with that peace, which the Martyrs had promised to them. But as to those who have received no such letters, this being the cause not of a few, nor of one Church, nor of one province, but of the Christian world, let them wait for the return of general peace to the Church. For this is a common duty, that all the Ministers of the Church assembled with the people, should dispose of all things by a joint deliberation.” Ep. xiii. ad Clerum, p. 23.-See also Ep. ix., X. p. 18, 19.
While the penitential Canons (which signified how severe was the temporal punishment due after sin) were in full vigour, as in the time of St. Cyprian, the Bishops were empowered to abridge the period of penance, in favour of those who shewed the greatest fervour, or who, by infirmity, were unable to complete the task imposed.
CENT. IV.
COUNCIL OF ANCYRA, IN 314, G. C.-“ We decree that the Bishops, having considered the conduct of their lives,
