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.

GUIBERT Abbot of Nogent.

GUIBERT Abbot of Nogent sous Coucy, was born in a Village belonging to the Diocess of Beauvais, of a rich and noble Family. He lost his Father Evrard in his Youth, and was * 1.1 brought up by his Mother, who took a particular care of his Education, but having after∣wards retir'd to a Monastery, and being-inform'd, that her Son did not follow the Instru∣ctions she had given him, she oblig'd him to take Lodgings in the Abby of St. German in the Diocess of Beauvais, to live under the conduct of his old Tutor, who became a Monk in that Abbey. Guibert did not continue long there, before he had an inclination to assume the Mo∣nastick Habit, and actually put that Design in execution, contrary to the Advice of his Mo∣ther and Tutor. After having turn'd Monk, he was afflicted with many Temptations, but at last was deliver'd from them, by the means of Prayer and Study, and was chosen Abbot of Nogent sous Coucy in the most remote part of the Diocess of Laon, where he died in 1124.

A certain small Tract about Preaching, is usually prefix'd to Guibert's Works, being the Preface to his Moral Commentaries on the Holy Scripture, which is full of Instructions, and very methodical. He begins with observing, that it is very dangerous for a Person obliged to Preach by the Duty of his Function, to neglect the performance of that Duty, by reason that as it is a matter of pernicious Consequence to shew bad Examples; so it is a very great Offence, not to endeavour to contribute somewhat to the reclaiming of Sinners by wholsom Instructions. He adds. That Men have different Motives to abstain from Preaching; that some are induc'd to do it by Pride, for fear of passing for Preachers, a Quality commonly re∣puted contemptible in the World; others by Envy, not to communicate their Knowledge to others, and others by Disgust or Slothfulness, in regard that they do not think themselves to lie under any Obligation, because they have no cure of Souls. He maintains, that all Chri∣stians, who have attain'd to any Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, are oblig'd to Preach the Word of God, and that they ought to propose no other end of their Preaching, but God himself, who is the Subject of it: That Bishops, Abbots, Curates and all Christians in general, are not only obliged to abstain from doing Evil, and from giving bad Examples, but are also under an obligation to do all manner of Good that lies in their power, both by their Example and Doctrine. He concludes from that Principle, that the practice of Virtues and the Instruction of others ought to be joyn'd together: Thus a Preacher ought to lead an innocent Life, and he who lives well, ought to apply himself to the Instructing of others.

This Author advises that Preaching be preceded by Prayer, to the end that the Soul in∣spir'd with the Love of God, may ardently express the Sentiments it has of God, to inflame the Hearts of the Auditors with the same Zeal, with which it is transported it self.

For (says he) a Discourse pronounced in a luke-warm and languid manner, not being agreeable even to him that pronounces it, cannot give satisfaction to the Hearers; and it would be wonderful, that a Discourse deliver'd by a Person who is not animated himself, should be capable of animating others. Care ought also to be taken (continues he) since the Word is spread abroad according to the effusion of the Heart, that the Discourse be not too te∣dious by reason of its length, and do not clog the Auditors: Therefore how fervent soever the Zeal of the Preacher may be, how copious soever his Subject, how strong soever his Memory, and how extraordinary soever his fluency of Discourse, yet he ought to have regard to the weakness of his Auditors, and to consider, that 'tis more commendable to lay down a few Truths, which will be receiv'd attentively, than to deliver an infinite num∣ber of Things, that cannot be retain'd; and that 'tis expedient to leave off before his Au∣ditors be tir'd, to the end that when there shall be an occasion to Preach to them at another time, they may be disposed to hearken to his Doctrine.

He likewise admonishes Preachers, that they ought to render their Sermons profitable both to the Ignorant and to the Learn∣ed, and to explain the Matters they handle in such a manner, as may be intelligible to all sorts of Capacities; and that it is requisite, to intermix some Sentences taken out of the Old Te∣stament in their Discourses, because they appear new, and serve to stir up the Affections of their Auditors.

Afterwards he treats of the Subjects that ought to be chosen by Preachers, and refers them to the Four senses of Scripture, viz. the Literal, the Allegorical, the Tropological and Ana∣gogical.

He observes, that altho' Allegories mingled in the connection of a Discourse be agreeable, and it be sometimes convenient to explain the literal sense of some Passages of Scripture; nevertheless the principal aim of a Preacher ought to be, to discover the inward disposition of the Man; that is to say, his Thoughts, Affections and Passions, and to make so natural representations of them, that every one may acknowledge therein the secret im∣pulses of his own Mind.

Furthermore, (says he) Admonitions ought not only to be given concerning the practice of Vertues, but also with reference to the connection of Vices, and the means of shunning them—

Sometimes a Discourse on the Nature of Vice is no less profitable than one on Vertue: For how can a Man take delight in the beauty of Vertue, if he be not sensible of the deformity of Vice? Or how can he avoid the latter, if he have no knowledge of the former? Therefore 'tis requisite to make known both, to cause a Man to be acquainted with himself, and to represent to him the inward disposition of his Mind.

This inward Disposition of a Man is perfectly describ'd according to Guibert in St. Gregory's Treatises of Morality and in Cassian's Conferences, but it cannot be well learnt, but by Ex∣perience and the exercises of a Spiritual Life. He would not advise those that are not accus∣tomed to the practice of it, to venture upon new Allegories, and he gives Rules to those who have attain'd to perfection in spiritual Exercises, to walk safely in a Path, from whence without due circumspection they may easily go astray.

He admonishes Preachers, to deliver their Sermons after such a manner, as it may appear that they have no other intention, but to instruct, and to promote the Salvation of their Au∣ditors, and that they do not seek for vain Glory by their Eloquence:

For nothing (says he) gives greater offence to an Auditor, than when he is perswaded that the Preacher is only induc'd to speak, by Ostentation or private Interest; so that a Preacher, that has such a Cha∣racter, exasperates rather than instructs, and by how much the more his Discourses abound with Rhetorical Ornaments, he renders himself so much the more contemptible to his Auditors.

Lastly, he treats of the principal Matters, that ought to serve as a Subject for Preachers, and advises them not only to represent to Sinners the everlasting Punishments that they shall undergo hereafter in the future State, but also the Troubles, Torments, Vexations and other Calamities, to which they are obnoxious in this Life. This is the Subject of the Preface, which he apparently made to serve in stead of an Apology against the Opinion of his Ab∣bot, who was unwilling to permit him either to Preach or to Write. It is followed by ten Books of Moral Commentaries upon Genesis, written in imitation of those of St. Gregory on Job, and by Ten other Books of Commentaries of the same Nature on the Prophecies of Hosea and Amos, and on the Lamentations of Jeremiah, on which he impos'd the Title of Tropologiae.

Guilbert's Treatise against the Jews is a Confutation of a certain Piece full of Blasphemies against Jesus Christ. He Discourses particularly of our Saviour's Conception in the Womb of a Virgin, and upon occasion of that Question, proceeds to Treat of Original Sin and Con∣cupiscence. There is a remarkable Passage about Images, in which he says,

That we honour the Invisible Things in the visible Signs; or rather, that we fix our wandring Mind on the Contemplation of spiritual Things, by looking upon Pictures, which serve as it were to admonish us of our Duty.

In his Treatise of the reality of the Body of Jesus Christ, he debates two Questions, viz. one on the Sop that was given by him to Judas, and the other about the reality of our Saviour's Body in the Eucharist. As to the First, he determines, that Judas receiv'd the Sacrament with the other Apostles, but that the Sop which our Lord gave him, was not a Sacrament, or sacred Sign, but the Sign of his Treason. In discussing the second Question, he confutes the Opinion of those, that deny the real Presence, and who believe, that the Body of Jesus Christ is only a Figure in the Eucharist.

The Treatise of the Praises of the Virgin Mary, contains many Encomium's on the Blessed Mother of our Lord, and the History of some Miracles wrought by her Intercession. He con∣cludes with a Prose or Hymn in her Honour.

In the Tract about Virginity, he does not only Treat of its Excellency, but also of the means of preserving it; of the Vertues that ought to accompany it, and of the Vices that are destructive of it.

In the Treatise of the Pledges or Relicks of the Saints, Guibert after having justified him∣self in the Preface, as to the Expression utter'd by him that the Eucharist supplies the Place of Jesus Christ, ••he proceeds to treat of the Honour due to Saints, of their Relicks, and of the Abuses committed upon that account; alledging, 1. That the Customs of Churches may be different, as to matters of Discipline, as about Fasts, the manner of Singing, &c. 2. That it is necessary to receive the Sacrament of Baptism and of the Lord's Supper; in such manner nevertheless, that one cannot be Sav'd without being Baptiz'd, and yet one may attain to Sal∣varion without actually receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, as it appears by the Examples of some Martyrs, who never receiv'd the Communion, and of some Hermits, who receiv'd it very seldom. 3. That there are some Customs, which are not necessary for Salva∣tion, and yet are observ'd in the Churches, as the Relicks of Saints, and certain Things that

serv'd for their use, which we respect and honour to follow their Example, and to obtain their Protection. 4. That they only ought to be taken for Saints, who are acknowledged as such either by an ancient Tradition, or by authentick Records, and not those to whom that quality is attributed by Fancy or in some fabulous Relations. 5. He censures those who invent false Tales, and requires that the Histories of the Lives and Actions of the Saints be carefully examined, and that those only he Honour'd of whose Holiness we have a certain Account, and who undoubtedly died the Death of the Righteous. 6. He distinguishes several sorts of Persons, by whom God thinks fit to work Miracles; some of them being as it were the Canals or Instruments that he makes use of in the performing of preternatural Operations, which tend to the advantage of others, and are unprofitable to themselves: God be∣stows special Graces on others, which they never deserv'd, and makes them worthy by his meer Mercy: Sometimes he affords them to the Faithful, as a recompence for their Faith and Uprightness. 7. He insists, that severe Punishments ought to be inflicted on those who Forge false Miracles. 8. He enquires who they are that ought to be Honour'd as Saints; of these the Martyrs are the First, but it ought to be certainly prov'd, that they suffer'd for the Christian Faith. As for Confessors, he determines, that they only are to be respected in that Quality, who were eminent for their extraordinary Sanctity, and of whose Salvation we are morally certain: For when there are grounds to doubt of it, he would by no means have them invok'd. Upon that occasion, he proposes the Example of the Church, which would not avouch that the Body of the Virgin Mary was raised from the Dead and Glorified, altho' there are many Reasons that induce us to believe it. 9. He observes, in reference to the acknowledged and avouched Saints, that there are many Errors concerning their Relicks; in regard that the Body, Head and other Members of the same Saint are to be found in diffe∣rent Places, and every one pretends to have the true Relick. 10. He maintains, That for∣asmuch as the Bodies of the Saints are made of Earth, as those of other Men; it were more expedient to leave them in their Tombs, than to set them in Shrines of Gold and Silver, to carry them about; and to divide them, as it is usually done.

Indeed (says he) if the Bo∣dies of the Saints had continu'd in the Places where they were, according to the order of Nature, that is to say, in their Tombs; there would have been no mistake nor contest about the reality of their Relicks: For that happens, only because they are taken out of their Tombs; cut in Pieces; and carried about from one place to another. 'Tis true, that Piety gave occasion to the removing of them, but Curiosity, in process of time, corrupt∣ed that which was done at first with simplicity—Let others judge as they shall think fit; for my part, I make no scruple to assert, that they have not done a thing acceptable to God or his Saints, in opening their Tombs, or in dividing their Members after such a manner; since the Heathens themselves had a respect for the Sepulchres of the Dead. St. Gregory return'd for Answer to an Empress who importun'd him upon the like occasion, that he durst not send her St. Peter's Head, and the Saints have often shewn notable marks of their In∣dignation against those, who have presum'd thus to dismember their Bodies. 11.

He acknow∣ledges nevertheless, that those, who honour false Relicks without knowing them to be so, and supposing them to belong to some Saint, do not Sin, and that he that invokes a Person, who is no Saint, believing him to be really so may be heard of God, who knows his good Inten∣tion. Lastly, he condemns the filthy Lucre that is made of those Relicks, by selling them, or by exacting Mony for shewing them; carrying them in Procession; exposing them, &c. These are the principal Points decided by Guibert in his first Book of the Pledges of the Saints, and they are accompany'd with great variety of Examples of real and counterfeit Miracles, of true and false Saints, and of genuine a•…•… supposititious Relicks, which are capable of afford∣ing much satisfaction and delight to the Reader.

In the second Book, to confute those, who set a great value on certain Relicks, which they asserted to belong to our Saviour, as his Teeth, Fore-skin, &c. our Author treats of the My∣stery 〈◊〉〈◊〉 which he has really left us his Body: He maintains, That Jesus Christ left no Re∣licks of his Body, but that he has given it us entire in the Eucharist: That that Body is not divided and distributed to the Faithful by Parcels, but that it is given altogether entire under every Host: That this Sacrament is receiv'd by the Unworthy, as well as by the Worthy, altho' the former do not receive the Grace of the Sacrament: That it may perhaps be devour'd by Rats and other Animals and pass thro' their Belly, yet nothing unworthy can befal the Body of Jesus Christ; so that the corruption and other alterations that appear to our Senses happen only to the Species, and not to the real Body of our Saviour: Lastly, That that Bo∣dy is no in the Eucharist in the state of a dead or crucified Person, but in that of a living and glorified Redeemer. He 〈◊〉〈◊〉 another Question by the way, viz. Whether the Bread that re∣main'd in the Pyx••on the Altar, during the Consecration, unknown to the Priest, were Conse∣crated; He determines in the negative, and that if an Host were put under the † 1.2 Palle, or a Drop of Wine in the Chalice, without the knowledge of the Priest; they would not be consecrated.

After having discoursed of the true Relick of Jesus Christ in the second Book, Guibert pro∣ceeds in the Third, to confute the false ones, which some Persons pretended to have in their possession. He begins with this fine Maxim.

'Tis requisite to approve the Devotion and Respect that People have for God and the Saints, but only as far as that Devotion does not

deviate from the bounds of true Religion; otherwise it happens, that the devout Person, instead of receiving the recompence of his Action, becomes culpable by his Error: For when any thing is said of God, or a Worship is render'd to him, contrary to the testimonies of Truth, the Party sins so much the more dangerously, in regard that Prety is made use of for a Pretence; since nothing is more pernicious, than to do Evil and at the same time to imagine it to be a good Action: For how can any Man correct a Fault, if he do not only not believe it to be an Error, but is also perswaded, that it is an action which deserves to be well rewarded?

Afterwards he vigorously opposes the Opinion of the Monks of St. Medard, who boasted, that they had a Tooth of Jesus Christ, and grounds his assertions chiefly on this Argument, that our Saviour being raised from the Dead, all his Members and Parts ought to be re-united to his glorified Body. 'Tis true indeed, that those Monks might object, that it may reasonably be suppos'd, that our Saviour's first Teeth were shed, as those of other Children, and that which they had was one of those. Guibert in like manner proposes this very Objection in their Name, and eludes it, by averring, that there are many other Reasons to disprove their Argument, and that they had none to establish it. The principal that he alledges is, that 'tis not probable, that the Hair, Teeth, Fore-skin and other Things that fell from the Body of the Child Jesus, were kept at that time, and that there are no grounds to believe that they were preserved by the Virgin Mary. He likewise derides the pretended Milk of the Blessed Virgin, which was kept in the Church of Laon, and in some other Places. The Monks of St. Medard having alledged divers Miracles in vindication of their Relick, Guibert replies, that that Tooth perhaps might be the Tooth of some Saint, or that those Mi∣racles were wrought, upon account of the Faith of those Persons, who came thither to honour a Relick, which they suppos'd to belong to Jesus Christ.

In the last Book that bears this Title, Of the Internal World, he Treats of Visions and of the Apparitions of Demons or Souls, and shews that the Visions of the Prophets, were Visions of Corporal Things: He acknowledges that Demons are disper'd in several places, and that they are present in this Visible World. He maintains, That the Happiness of the Elect, and the punishments of the Reprobates, are not Corporeal, for the present, but Spiritual, and is of Opinion that Hell-fire, with which the Devils are Tormented, is not a Material and Corpo∣real Fire, but the extreme anguish they have, to see themselves depriv'd for ever of the blissful State, and of the Beatifick Vision; as the Happiness of the Blessed Spirits consists, in the delight they take in beholding the Glory of God. Lastly, he proves that Souls are of a Spi∣ritual Nature; That they have no Figure; That they are only capable of Spiritual Sympa∣thies, and that Bodies cannot act on them.

His Piece call'd, Gesta Dei per Francos, or an Account of the Actions that God perform'd by the French, is divided into Eight Books, and Dedicated to Lisiard Bishop of Soissons. It con∣tains a large and accurate History of the first Crusade undertaken by the French, and of the Conquests they made in the Levant, and in the Holy-Land, more especially under the Conduct of Boemond Duke of Apulia, and of Godfrey of Bouillon King of Jerusalem. This Work is writ∣ten in a swelling Style, some Verses being intermixed with the Prose; but the Author has every where acted as a very faithful Historian, and has ever declin'd to insert such Narra∣tives, as had no other Grounds but popular Reports.

The Life of Guibert written by himself, is not a simple Relation of what befel him, but a Work partly Moral in imitation of St. Augustin's Confessions, and partly Historical. He makes long Digressions on different Subjects, relating the History of the Abbeys of St. German, and Nogent sons Coucy, with that of the Churches of Laon, Soissons, &c. There are also divers Narra∣tions, as a great number of Miracles, Visions and Apparitions, and of other Historical Mat∣ters of Fact that happen'd in his time.

Among the Works, of St. Bernard is likewise to be found a Sermon on these words of the last Verse of the XI. Chapter of the Wisdom of Solomon. Vice shall not prevail against Wis∣dom; she reacheth from one end to another mightily, and sweetly doth she order all things, which is attributed to Guibert of Nogent; because he intimates in the XVI. Chapter of the first Book of his Life, that he made a Sermon on that Text.

Besides these Works Guibert wrote a Treatise on the Sentences taken out of the Gospels, and the Books of the Prophets, of which he makes mention in the XVI. Chapter of the first Book of his Life; but this Work was not brought to Light and perhaps was never Compleated. Father Oudin informs us, that he found in the Library of the Abbeys of Vauclair and Igny, cer∣tain Commentaries written by Guibert in the Prophecies of Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Zachariah, Joel, Nahum, Habbakuk and Zephaniah.

This Author having spent much time in the Study of Grammar and Poetry, wrote in a ve∣ry clear Style, and Compos'd indifferent good Verses. He argues with a great deal of Judg∣ment in his Dogmatical Treatises and handles the Matters Methodically. He gives a very Natural Description of the inward Dispositions and Passions of Men, in his Treatises of Mo∣rality, but is too florid and prolix in the Historical.

His Works were publi'shd by Father Luke Dachery, in Folio, by Billaine at Paris, A. D. 1651. He has Illustrated them with Learned Notes and large Observations, in which he refers to a great number of Ancient Monuments, and produces the History of divers Abbeys.

He has likewise inserted in the same Volume to render it of a Competent largeness, the Lives of St. Germane, St. Simon, Count of Crepy, and St. Salberga the first Abbess of St. John at •…•…∣on, who Founded that Monastery, A. C. 640. as also three Books of Hugh Arch-bishop of Rouen against the Hereticks of his Time, and the Continuation of Sigebere's Chronicle by Robert of Torigny Abbot of St. Michael's Mount, with a Treatise of the same Author about the Refor∣mation of divers Abbeys, and several Lists of the Deans of the Cathedral Church of Laon, and of the Abbots of St. John and St. Martins in the same City. Guibert's History of the Crusade was already set forth by Jacobus Bongarsius in his Collection of Historians, printed in 1611. under the same Title that Guibert impos'd on his Work, viz. Gesta Dei per Francos.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Guibert Abbot of Nogent.
• † 1.2

  A square Past board cover'd with white Linnen which is usually laid upon the Chalice in Popish Churches.