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.

CHAP. VIII. (Book 8)

Of the Errors advanc'd by Amaury, Abbot Joachim, and several others, and of their Condemnations.

IN the beginning of the Thirteenth Century a Clerk Student at Paris, Nam'd Amaury, Born in * 1.1 Village in the Diocess of Chartres, call'd Bena, after he had for a long time Taught Logick, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Expounded the Scriptures, kept still a particular Method and singular Opinions. Among ot•…•… things he maintain'd, That every Christian was oblig'd to believe as an Article of Faith, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was a Member of Jesus Christ. This Opinion having been Disputed in the Schools of Paris, the Deb•…•… was brought before Pope Innocent III. who after he had Heard the Propositions of Amaury, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Refutation of them by the University of Paris, Condemn'd the Opinion of Amaury. Being retur•…•… to Paris, he was oblig'd to retract his Opinion with his Mouth, tho' not with his Heart. Withi•• short time after, he Dy'd and was Interr'd near the Monastery of Saint Martin in the Fields.

After his Death, some of his Disciples Publish'd other Errors more dangerous than the former, 〈…〉〈…〉 * 1.2 for instance, That since the time of the Law was past, the Sacraments were useless, and that e•…•… one is Justify'd by the Internal Grace of the Holy Spirit: That the Vertue of Charity takes away 〈…〉〈…〉 sinfulness of an Evil Action; and according to this Maxim, they committed Crimes contrary to 〈…〉〈…〉 stity with the Women who follow'd them, and which they suffer'd to go unpunish'd, under the Pret•…•… of Charity. Other Authors Accuse them likewise of Teaching. (1.) That the Body of Jesus C•…•… was no more on the Altar in the Consecrated Bread, than in any other Loaf. (2.) That God 〈…〉〈…〉 spoken by Ovid, as well as by St. Augustine. (3.) That there was no Resurrection, nor any 〈…〉〈…〉 Heaven or Hell, than good Thoughts and Mortal Sins. (4.) That one ought not to Honour 〈…〉〈…〉 Saints or their Relicks. A Goldsmith Nam'd William was the Head of this Sect: He call'd hi•…•… the Ambassador of God, and Prophesy'd, That before Five Years the World should be smitten 〈…〉〈…〉 Four Plagues; with Famine on the People, with the Sword on the Princes, with Earthquakes w•…•… should swallow up Cities, and with Fire on the Prelates of the Church. He call'd the Pope 〈…〉〈…〉 Christ, Rome Babylon, and all the Church-Men Members of Anti-Christ. He likewise fore-•…•… That King Philip Augustus and his Son should soon Reduce all Nations under the Obedience of 〈…〉〈…〉 Holy Ghost. Peter Bishop of Paris, and Jarin the King's Counsellor, being inform'd of this 〈…〉〈…〉 Sect, to discover who were of it, made use of a Man, who likewise pretended to be of it. By 〈…〉〈…〉 means several were Discover'd and Apprehended, who being brought to Paris were Condemn'd i•…•… Council Held 1209, and afterwards Burnt by the Order of King Philip. The Authors of that t•…•… reckon up Fourteen of them, whose Names and Qualities they tell us: There were some Priests, 〈…〉〈…〉 almost all had Study'd Divinity. Of those Fourteen Ten were Burnt, Three were Condemn'd 〈…〉〈…〉 perpetual Imprisonment, and one who became a Monk before he was Apprehended. They C•…•… demn'd the Memory of Amaury, his Bones were dug up and thrown into the Common Sewer. 〈…〉〈…〉 who discover'd those Hereticks by pretending to be of their Sect, apply'd himself to the Abbot 〈…〉〈…〉 Saint Victor, to Master Robert and Friar Thomas, who Consulted the Bishop of Paris and Three oth•…•… Masters about it, by whose Advice, he who had Discover'd those Hereticks continu'd with anothe•…•… Priest to feign himself to be one of them.

They Condemn'd in the Council of Paris Aristotle's Books of Metaphysicks and Physicks, new∣ly * 1.3 brought from Constantinople and Translated into Latin: They order'd them to be Burnt, and for∣bad the Reading them under pain of Excommunication. This Prohibition was Confirm'd about the Year 1215, by the Pope's Legate who endeavour'd to Reform the University; but he allow'd th•…•… Teaching of the Logicks of that Philosopher. Gregory IX. in the Year 1231, renew'd it, but witha•…•… adding, That he did not forbid the Reading Aristotle's Books, but till such time as they were Cor∣rected. In the Year 1265, Simon Legate of the Holy See, in Reforming the University, Con∣firm'd the Constitution of the Year 1215, about the Books of Aristotle, without taking any Notice of the Correction. But in the Reform of the University in the Year 1366, they permitted the Read∣ing the Books of Physicks, as well as the rest. This was the Fortune of the Works of that Philosophe•• at that time.

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Abbot Joachim having in his Books advanc'd several Propositions against the Irregular Morals * 1.4 of his time, and Exhorted Men to aspire after a greater Perfection, than that which was Practis'd in the World: Some took occasion from thence to believe, That the Law of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which they thought imperfect, would suddenly expire, and that the Law of the Spirit a great deal more perfect, would succeed it. This Doctrine spread among a great many Spiritual Men, and one of ••hem made a Book to establish it, to which he gave the Title of The Eternal Gospel. This Piece * 1.5 appear'd about the beginning of this Century; but what is the Author's Name, is not known: Mat∣thew Paris ascribes it to the Order of the Jacobines, Aimeric to John the Seventh General of the Fran∣ciscans. Let the Case be how it will 'tis certain, that a great many Monks approv'd of this Work, and that some of them would have Taught this Doctrine Publickly in the University of Paris in the Year 1254, but the Bishops oppos'd it: And the Book of the Eternal Gospel was Condemn'd to be * 1.6 Burnt in the Year 1256, by Pope Alexander IV. who at the same time Proscrib'd those who main∣tain'd the Doctrine of that Book, as William of Saint Amour and Ptolemey of Lucca, assure us.

All the Errors of this Book turn upon this Principle, That the Law of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was * 1.7 imperfect, in comparison of the law of the Spirit, which was to succeed it: For according to this Book, the Law of the Gospel was to last no longer than Twelve hundred and sixty Years, and consequent∣ly was upon expiring. The Author of that Book advanc'd, besides this, several particular Errors, viz. That none but Spiritual Men had the true Knowledge of the Scriptures: That only those who went Bare-foot were capable of Preaching the Spiritual Doctrine: That the Jews tho' adhering to their Re∣ligion, shall be loaded with good things and deliver'd from their Enemies: That the Greeks were more Spiritual than the Latines, and that God the Father should Save them: That the Monks were not oblig'd to suffer Martyrdom in Defence of the Worship of Jesus Christ: That the Holy Ghost re∣ceiv'd something of the Church, as Jesus Christ as Man had receiv'd of the Holy Ghost: That the Active Life had lasted till Abbot Joachim; but that since his time it was become useless: That the Contemplative Life had begun from his time, and that it should be more perfect in his Suc∣cessors: That there should be an Order of Monks by far more perfect, which should flou∣rish when the Order of the Clergy was perished: That in this Third State of the World the Go∣vernment of the Church would be wholly Committed to those Monks, who should have more Autho∣rity than the Apostles ever had: That those Preachers persecuted by the Clergy, should go over to the Infidels, and might excite them against the Church of Rome. These are some of the Extrava∣gancies, which the Authors relate, as extracted out of the Book of the Eternal Gospel.

The Maintainers of this Work are call'd Joachites, or rather Joachimites in the Council of Arles 1260, * 1.8 wherein their Doctrine was Examin'd and Condemn'd in these Terms:

Among the False Pro∣phets who appear at this time, none are more Dangerous than those who taking for the Founda∣tion of their Folly several Ternaries, in part true, and making false Applications of them, esta∣blish'd a very pernicious Doctrine, and wickedly affecting to do Honour to the Holy Ghost, do impudently derogate from the Redemption of Jesus Christ, by aiming to include the Time of the Reign of the Son and his Works within a certain Number of Years; after which the Holy Ghost shall Act: As if the Holy Ghost were to Act with more Power and Majesty for the future, than he has done yet since the beginning of the Church. These Joachites by a Chimerical Concatenation of certain Ternaries, maintain, That the time of the Holy Ghost shall for the future be inlighten'd with a more perfect Law; laying down for the Foundation of their Error, this Holy and Coelestial Ter∣nary of the Ineffable Persons of the Ever-blessed Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and are for establishing their Error on the Basis of all these Truths. They add to this Sovereign Truth o∣ther Ternaries, by asserting, That there shall be Three States or Orders of Men, who have had, or shall have each their proper Season: The First is that of Marry'd Persons, which was in Re∣pute in the time of the Father, that is, under the Old Testament: The Second is that of Clerks, which has been in esteem in the time of Grace by the Son in this Age of the World: The Third is the Order of the Monks, which shall be glorify'd in time with a larger measure of Grace, which shall be given by the Holy Ghost. Three sorts of Doctrines answer to these Three States, the Old Testament, the New, and the Eternal Gospel, or the Gospel of the Holy Ghost. Lastly, They distinguish the whole Duration of the World into Three Ages: The time of the Spirit of the Law of Moses, which they attribute to the Father; the time of the Spirit of Grace, which they attri∣bute to the Son, and which has lasted 1260. Years; and the time of a more Ample Grace and of unveil'd Truth, which belongs to the Holy Ghost, and of which Jesus Christ speaks in the Go∣spel, when he saies, When that Spirit of Truth shall come, he will teach you all Truth. In the First State, Men liv'd according to the Flesh; in the Second, between Flesh and Spirit; and in the Last which shall endure to the end of the World, they shall live according to the Spirit. The Conse∣quence which they draw from this Fiction of Ternaries, is, That the Redemption of Jesus Christ has no more place, and that the Sacraments are Abolish'd; which the Joachites have almost the Impu∣dence to Advance, by asserting, That all Types and Figures shall be Abolish'd at this time, and that the Truth shall appear all naked without the Veil of Sacraments. Maxims these are which ought to be Abominated by all Christians who have Read the Holy Fathers, and who firmly believe that the Sacraments of the Church are visible Signs and Images of Invisible Grace; under the Ele∣ments of one of which the Son of God abides, as he has promised, in his Church to the End of the World.

This Council adds, That tho' this Doctrine had been Condemn'd a while ago by the Holy See in its Censure of the Book of The Eternal Gospel; yet because several Persons maintain'd it under a pre∣tence, That the Books which serv'd as a Foundation to that Error had not been Examin'd nor Con∣demn'd,

(viz. the Book of Concordances, and the other Books of the Joachites, which till then re∣main'd undiscuss'd, because they lay conceal'd in the Hands of some Monks, and began then to ap∣pear in the World and to Infatuate the Minds of many) it Condemns and Disapproves of those Works, and prohibits the making use of them under pain of Excommunication.

In the Year 1240, William Bishop of Paris having Conven'd all the Regent Doctors of the Uni∣versity, * 1.9 Condemn'd Ten Propositions which had been Taught, as Matthew Paris observes by the Professors of the Dominican and Franciscan Orders, who willing to Dispute with too much Subtilty, and to dive too far into Mysteries, were faln into Error by the just Judgment of God, saies that Au∣thor, to whom the Wisdom and Simplicity of a firm Faith is more acceptable than too great Sub∣tilty in Divinity; it being more Safe and Meritorious to receive and believe with Simplicity, what the Fathers have Taught, than to adhere to that which must be Prov'd and Discover'd by Humane Reason. The Ten Propositions are these. (1.) That the Essence of God shall not be seen by Men, or Angels. (2.) That the Divine Essence, tho' the same in the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, yet as it is, that Essence and the Form, 'tis one in the Father and the Son, and not in the Holy Ghost. (3.) That the Holy Ghost proceeds not from the Son, since he is Love and Unity, but only from the Father. (4.) That there are several Eternal Truths which are not God himself. (5.) That the first moment, the Creation and the Passion, are neither the Creator nor the Creature. (6.) That the Wick∣ed Angel had been Wicked from the first instant of his Creation. (7.) That the Souls in Bliss and even that of the Blessed Virgin her self shall not be in the Empyreal Heaven with the Angels, but in the Crystalline Heaven. (8.) That an Angel may be in many Places at one and the same time, and even every where. (9.) That he who is endu'd with better Natural Parts, shall have more Grace than another. (10.) That the Devil had no Support to keep him from falling, nor Adam to keep in his State of Innocence. The Assembly after they had Censur'd these Propositions, declar'd, That Men ought firmly and without doubt to Beleive, (1.) That the Substance, Essence and Nature of God shall be seen by the Holy Angels and the Blessed Souls. (2) That there is but only one Substantial Essence and only one Nature in the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, even as it is the Form. (3.) That the Holy Ghost as Unity and as Love proceeds from the Father and the Son. (4.) That there is but only one Eternal Truth which is God, and that no other has been from all Eternity. (5.) That the first Mo∣ment, the Creation and the Passion are Creatures. (6.) That the Bad Angels have been Good, and became Bad by their Sin. (7.) That the Souls of the Blessed and their Bodies shall be in the Empyreal Heaven, as well as the Holy Angels. (8.) That the Angels are in a distinct Place, so that they can∣not be in two Places at once, much less every where. (9.) That Grace and Glory are granted ac∣cording to the Order and Predestination of God. (10.) That the Wicked Angels and Adam had Sup∣port to keep them from Falling, tho' not sufficient to carry them on into Perfection.

About the same time William Professor of the Franciscan Friars having Advanc'd in a Sermon * 1.10 Preach'd on the Festival of St. John Baptist in the Church of his Monastery, several Propositions about Free Will and Free Grace, was oblig'd to Retract the two following, in an Assembly of the Doctors of Divinity of Paris. (1.) Free Will has a Natural Power to receive Grace, but not an Effective, or Co-operating Power for the entertaining of Grace. (2.) He who is Damn'd, has never been in a State of Grace, but has been always an Ishmael or a Judas, never a Saint John.

In the Year 1270, in December, Stephen Templar Bishop of Paris Condemn'd other Propositions * 1.11 Taught by several Professors in Philosophy and Divinity of the University of Paris, which are Thir∣teen in Number. (1.) That the Understanding of all Men is one and the same in Number. (2.) That this Proposition Homo intelligit, is false and improper. (3.) That the Will chuses and wills by neces∣sity. (4.) That all Sublunary things are subjected to the Influences of the Heavenly Bodies. (5.) That the World is Eternal. (6.) That there never was a first Man. (7.) That the Soul of Man as being the Form of him, is Corruptible. (8.) That the separated Soul does not suffer Eter∣nal Fire. (9.) That Free Will is a Passive, not an Active Power and that 'tis led by the Sensitive Appetite. (10.) That God has no knowledge of singular things, (11.) That he knows nothing Ex∣ternally without himself. (12.) That the Actions of Men are not Govern'd by Providence. (13.) That God cannot give Immortality, or Incorruptibility to a Mortal, and Corruptible Creature. The Bi∣shop of Paris order'd the Rector of the University not to suffer that Questions of Faith should be Disputed in the Philosophy-Schools, and the University provided against it by a Statute made April the First 1271, by which it declar'd, That all those who after they have propos'd Questions which may concern Faith and Philosophy, shall Decide them against the Faith, or shall maintain those Pro∣positions true, according to the Principles of Philosophy tho' contrary to the Faith; shall be expell'd the University.

Notwithstanding this Maxim, That one and the same thing may be true according to Philosophy, and false according to Faith, spreading it self: The same Bishop being admonished by Pope John XXI. forbad it in the Year 1277, and Condemn'd a great many Errors which they took the liberty to maintain under this Pretence, as if there might be two Truths, one according to Philosophy, and another according to Faith. He likewise Condemn'd a Book call'd, Of Love, or Of the God of Love, and some Writings of Geomancy, Necromancy and Witchcraft.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Doctrine of Amaury and his Condemna∣tion.
• * 1.2

  The Errors of the Disciples of Amaury and their Condem∣tion.
• * 1.3

  Aristotle's Works Con∣demn'd.
• * 1.4

  The Opinions of Abbot Joachim.
• * 1.5

  The Book call'd the Eternal Gospel.
• * 1.6

  The Condemna∣tion of that Book.
• * 1.7

  The Errors of that Book.
• * 1.8

  The Condemna∣tion of the Joa∣chimites in the Council of Arles 1260.
• * 1.9

  The Propositi∣ons Condemned by William of Paris.
• * 1.10

  The Recantati∣on of William the Franciscan.
• * 1.11

  Propositions Condemn'd by Stephen Tem∣plar Bishop of Paris.