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Cyprian, epist. 11, lib. 1, "let them persevere in chastity and pureness, without any let or molestation, and so being strong and constant, let them expect the reward of virginity. But if they will not continue so, or cannot, they had better for to marry than to fall into the fire by their sins." And the Council of Ancyra, ca. 19, appointed but a very light penance upon those that break this vow, namely, in ranking them among the twice married. Epiphanius says that marrying after a vow is a sin and commends repentance for it; but yet holds it better to marry so than to burn. And in like manner does Jerome, and Augustine, de bono viduit., cap. 19. But afterwards these marriages began by some to be held for more heavy offences. After 380 years
Basil calls them incests, and the sins of whoredom and adultery, lib. de virginit. And the Council of Chalcedon, ca. 15, excommunicates the parties thus marrying, yet commands the bishops forthwith to absolve them, neither willing the dissolution nor suspension of these marriages, which were not frustrated and broken off until after-ages.
Extreme Unction 1. The fathers never speak of this extreme unction, that is, of a ceremony of anointing in manner of a sacrament without the gift of healing, until Innocentius I, in the year 402. For Sigebert in anno
404 ascribes the decree of anointing the dead unto Innocentius I, who howsoever he calls it a kind of sacrament, yet he will have it ministered by all Christians. "It is lawful," says he (epist. 1, ad
Decentium, c. 8), "not only for the priests, but also for all Christians to use the oil of chrism, made by the bishop, and to anoint therewith in their own or their friends' necessity." And Bede (in Luc. 9) thinks that it belongs not only to those that are weak in body, but also unto the weak in faith. And (in Jacob, c. 5) he will have the ministering thereof free unto all Christians, not binding it only to the priests. And