CONVOCATION. Capuchin Brethren of St. Francis, or to the Observant Franciscans. CONVERTED BRETHREN. MONTANS (ORDER of). 607 would be liable to a præmunire, and the proceedings of the assembly thus illegally summoned would be See GRANDI- completely void. An enactment to this effect, commonly called the Act of Submission, was passed in the reign of Henry VIII. It runs in these terms: "Whereas the king's humble and obedient subjects, the clergy of this realm of England, have not only acknowledged according to the truth, that the convocation of the same clergy is, always hath been, and ought to be assembled only by the king's writ; but also submitting themselves to the king's majesty, have promised in verbo sacerdoti that they will never from henceforth presume to attempt, allege, claim, or put in use, enact, promulge, or execute any new canons, constitutions, ordinances, provincial, or other, or by whatsoever name they shall be called, in the convocation, unless the king's most royal assent and license may to them be had, to make, promulge, and execute the same, and that his majesty do give his most royal assent and authority in that behalf: it is therefore enacted, according to the said submission, that they, nor any of them, shall presume to attempt, allege, claim, or put in use any constitutions or ordinances provincial, by whatsoever name or names they may be called, in their convocations in time coming (which shall always be assembled by authority of the king's writ); unless the same clergy may have the king's most royal assent and license, to make, promulge, and execute such canons, constitutions and ordinances provincial or synodal; upon pain of every one of the said clergy doing contrary to this act, and being thereof convict, to suffer imprisonment, and make fine at the king's will." CONVOCATION, an assembly of the bishops and clergy of the Church of England, to consult upon matters ecclesiastical. It consists of two separate houses, the upper house composed of the archbishops and bishops, and the lower house in which all the other clergy are represented by their deputies. At the meeting of Parliament the Crown issues a writ summoning the convocation to assemble in the provinces of Canterbury and York. The clergymen composing the lower house, who are usually called proctors, are chosen by the votes of the parochial clergy, to represent them in the deliberations of this ecclesiastical parliament. The proceedings of convocation are opened by the archbishop of the province, after which a prolocutor is chosen to act as president. The convocation in the province of York assembles in York cathedral, while that of the province of Canterbury meets in St. Paul's cathedral, or in the Jerusalem chamber adjoining Westminster Abbey. The two convocations are quite independent of one another, though they have sometimes been found to act in concert. Since the Reformation, the most important ecclesiastical matters have been left in the hands of the convocation of Canterbury, while that of York has very rarely originated any measure of importance. The mode of electing the proctors of the clergy to attend the meetings of convocation varies in different places throughout England. Only rectors, vicars, and perpetual curates are allowed to vote for them. A few of the varieties which prevail in the election of these representatives of the clergy, are thus noticed by Mr. Marsden; "In the diocese of London, each archdeaconry chooses two, and from the whole number so chosen, the bishop selects two to attend the convocation. In Sarum, the three archdeacons choose six, and the six make a selection of two of their own number; and the same method is adopted in the diocese of Lichfield and Coventry. In Bath and Wells, all the incumbents choose their proctors jointly. In Lincoln, the clergy of the six archdeaconries send commissioners to Stamford, who make the necessary choice of two persons. In Norwich, the two archdeaconries of Norwich and Norfolk meet and choose one, and the archdeaconries of Suffolk | and Sudbury choose the other. The same is the case in Chichester. In ancient times the clergy were represented in convocation by the archdeacons. Such is the mode of choosing proctors in the province of Canterbury. In the province of York two proctors are returned by each archdeaconry. Were it not so, the numbers would be too small for the transaction of business." The royal license is indispensable to the meeting of convocation. Were the archbishop to summon an assembly without the command of the sovereign, he Upon this statute various regulations followed, which were designed to restrict the operations of convocation within certain limits. These, as stated by Dr. Hook, were as follows: "1. That a convocation cannot assemble at their convocation, without the assent of the king. 2. That after their assembly they cannot confer, to constitute any canons without licence of the king. 3. When they upon conference conclude any canons, yet they cannot execute any of their canons without the royal assent. 4. That they cannot execute any after the royal assent, but with these four limitations :-(1.) that they be not against the prerogative of the king; nor (2.) against the common law; nor (3.) against the statute law; nor (4.) against any custom of the realm." The powers of convocation are extensive. They may correct and depose offenders; examine and censure heretical works; and with the royal license they can make and publish canons, alter the liturgy, and in short, their powers extend to all ecclesiastical matters whatever. While convocation is sitting its members are protected from arrest. This clerical assembly has ceased since 1717 to possess the powers of a synod, in consequence of the royal license being withheld. Though an ecclesiastical court, it is so completely under the control of the sovereign, that it cannot hold its meetings without a writ from the crown, it cannot decree canons without a license from the crown, nor publish them until they receive the royal confirmation. The writ is regularly issued along with the writ for the summoning of parliament, but the royal license not being given, the meetings of convocation are little more than an empty form. But while it cannot pass canons without the license of the sovereign, it has the power of refusing its assent to measures proposed by the crown. The Act of Submission passed in the reign of Henry VIII., was repealed in the reign of Philip and Mary, and restored by the parliament of Elizabeth, since which time it has continued in force down to the present day. While, therefore, the convocation assembles in both provinces regularly at the same time with the meeting of parliament, its business is limited to the voting an address to the crown, without having the power of passing a single act, however beneficial to the church which it represents. Nay, so completely fettered is this ecclesiastical assembly, that they have not even the power of adjournment, so that should their deliberations be protracted beyond the first day, the archbishop not being able to adjourn the meeting, prorogues it. The question has even been started, whether the law sanctions the archbishop in proroguing the convocation, or whether such an authority does not belong legally to the bishops of the province. But whatever doubts some may entertain upon the subject, the archbishops continue to claim and exercise the right on receiving a writ from the crown, which is regularly issued at the prorogation of parliament; and during its deliberations, the archbishop, by his own authority, prorogues the convocation from time to time, until the address to the crown has been adopted by both houses. Motions may be made, committees may be appointed for the consideration of special points, but all such steps are of no force so long as the Crown withholds its license. The High Church party of the Church of England have for some time past been earnest in their endeavours to procure from the Crown the restoration of the power of synodical action to the convocation, but it appears highly probable that this power will remain in abeyance for a long time to come. If ever restored, the introduction of the lay element will be absolutely necessary, and even the clerical franchise, if we may so speak, must be extended, that the proctors may represent the whole body of the clergy. But even with these amendments in the constitution of the convocation, the danger of reviving its dormant powers would be, that in the course of legislation occasional collisions of a very serious kind with the civil government of the country would be almost inevitable, leading to results the most disastrous both to the church and to the commonwealth. See ENGLAND (CHURCH OF). to be thrown into convulsive fits, from which, as they alleged, they were miraculously cured at the tomb of the Abbe Paris, a celebrated zealot among the Jansenists in the early part of the eighteenth century. The name came to be applied to those who among the French Romanists wrought themselves up to the highest pitch of enthusiasm, their bodies becoming agitated and convulsed, throwing themselves into the most violent contortions of body, rolling about on the ground, and at length falling into a swoon, during which they received visions and revelations of the most wonderful kind. Such scenes occasionally present themselves at this day in the rural districts of France, where they are too often rendered subservient to the interests of a blind superstition. COPE, a clerical vestment. It was at first a common dress, being a coat without sleeves, but was afterwards used as an ecclesiastical habit. It reaches from the neck nearly to the feet, and is open in front, except at the top where it is united by a band or clasp. According to the canons of the Church of England, the clergy ought to wear this garment at the communion service or other great solemnities, but it has gradually fallen into disuse, being scarcely ever worn unless on very special occasions. The Greeks pretend it was first used in memory of the mock robe put upon our Saviour. COPIATÆ, inferior officers of the ancient Christian church, who performed the duties of undertakers, grave-diggers, sextons. These were intrusted with the care of funerals, and the burial of the dead. They are said to have been first instituted at Constantinople by Constantine the Great, and to have been further organized and established by the Emperor Anastasius. They have sometimes been termed fossari, from digging of graves, and in Justinian's Novels they are called Lecticari, from carrying the corpse or bier at funerals. They are frequently mentioned by ancient authors as ecclesiastical officebearers. When Constantine first instituted the office, he incorporated a body of men to the number of eleven hundred in Constantinople, to whom he gave the name of Copiata, and who, besides seeing that all persons had a decent and honourable interment, were especially required gratuitously to perform this last office to the poor. This class of officers was partly supported out of the common stock of the church. COPINISTS, a sect of UNIVERSALISTS (which see) who denied the resurrection of the body. COPTIC CHURCH, the ancient Christian church of Egypt. They hold the Monophysite doctrine, that Christ was not possessed of two distinct natures, but of only one, the human nature being amalgamated with, and absorbed in, the Divine. A controversy on this subject violently distracted the Christian church in Egypt during the fifth and sixth CONVULSIONISTS, a party of fanatics belong- centuries, and at that period the Eutychian or ing to the Romish church in France, who professed | Monophysite tenets, which were condemned by the COPTIC CHURCH. general council of Chalcedon, were embraced by the | 609 is a heterogeneous mass of false doctrines, idolatrous rites, and superstitious ceremonies. They practise both circumcision and baptism; they believe in baptismal regeneration, in justification by the observance of the eucharist and other pious deeds, especially fastings and pilgrimages, in transubstantiation, confession to a priest, absolution, the invocation of saints, extreme unction, and prayers for the dead. Besides the Bible, which they still regard as the standard of faith and practice, they hold in high estimation The Sayings of the Fathers,' 'The Liturgy of Basil,' 'The Liturgy of Gregory,' 'The Liturgy of Cyril,' and 'The Apostolical Constitutions.' All these liturgies are found in the Coptic language. The Copts hold seven sacraments, baptism, the eucharist, confirmation, confession, ordination, matrimony, and extreme unction. Their clergy are supported by voluntary contributions and presents, besides fees on the occasion of births, marriages, and deaths. The ordinance of baptism is dispensed to boys at the age of forty days, and to girls at the age of eighty days, unless in case of dangerous sickness, when it may be administered sooner. This rite is performed by dipping the body three times in water, to which the sacred oil has been added, and over which the sign of the cross has been made. Confirmation follows immediately after baptism, and is performed with meirún or the holy oil. The sacra ment of confession is followed immediately by abso lution, and sometimes penance is prescribed. Extreme unction is administered not only to the sick and dying, but also to the healthy after the commission of great sins. Circumcision, as we have already mentioned, is practised, but Dr. Wilson mentions that he was informed by the patriarch, it was more a civil than a religious custom. It is done privately, without any fixed age for its performance. The religious fasts of the Copts are numerous and severe, and the patriarch, in particular, is remarkable for the austerities which he practises. It is said that he is awaked from his sleep every quarter of an hour during the night that he may call on the name of God. Dr. Wilson, in his Lands of the Bible,' gives a minute and very interesting account of a visit which he paid while in Cairo to a Coptic church, and of the various ceremonies which he witnessed on that occasion. The lively picture which the Doctor gives of the public worship of the Copts cannot fail to interest the reader: "It commenced as soon as it was light on the Lord's-day morning; and it was well attended both by young and old, who, on account of the smallness of the church, the largest, however, belonging to the Copts of the place,—were much crowded together, to their great discomfort, increased by the want of ventilation, and the burning of numerous candles. The construction of the church much resembled a Jewish synagogue. It was divided into four compartments. The heikel, or chancel, forms the chief The present religious system of the Coptic church compartment at the eastern end; and it is separated |