A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

THE PREFACE.

THis Tenth Volume contains the entire History of the Twelfth Century, tho' that be larger than the Preceeding, by reason it contains a greater Number of Authors than the Ages before it, some whereof may be Compared to the greatest Lights of the Church. We here find the Empire and the Church at Difference; The Church of Rome disturb'd by Obstinate Schisms; The Popes at War with the Emperours; The Kings and Bishops in Dis∣pute about their Rights. The Dignity of the Sacraments, and the External Worship in Religion, as also its Princi∣ples are attack'd by Monstrous and Ridiculous Heresies. Scholastick Divinity becomes the common Study, and the Body of the Canon Law, such as it is at Present, was form'd and establish'd in this Twelfth Century. The Church is stock'd with abundance of Monastick and Regular Orders. The Immunities and Exemptions of the Revenues of the Church and Ecclesiastical Persons are vigorously supported by the Bi∣shops, and maintained by the Decrees of Councils. And Fi∣nally, the Manners of Ecclesiasticks and the External Cere∣monies of the Church are reform'd in this Age by several very useful Regulations. This is what the Reader will find in the History and Extracts of the Authors and Councils of the Twelfth Century, which we Publish in this Volume.