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 General Council of Vienne in Dauphine, held in 1311.

THIS Council was Summoned by Clement V. to judge of the Accusations brought against the * 1.1 Order of Knights Templars, by his Bull dated Aug. 11. 1307. by which it ought to have met Octob. 1. 1309. but was Prorogued by another Bull to October 1311. Many Prelates being come to Vienne at the time appointed, the first Session of this Council was held Octob. 16. of the same Year. The Number of Archbishops and Bishops which were present at it, is not very certain. It is commonly thought, that they were near 300. There was a considerable time between the first and Second Session, which was spent in consultation. This last was held May 22. 1312. Philip King of France was present at it. The Dissolution of the Templars was resolved on in it, and the Bull was published about it, as we have said. We have also observed what passed in it about the Memory of Pope Boniface, which was condemned to Oblivion, notwithstanding the Earnest Requests of that King. Some say, that a Crusado also was resolved on there, The Begards and Be∣guins were condemned there, and their Errours rejected with Detestation, and the Pope made in this Council divers Constitutions; which are in the Five Books of Clementines, published by John XXII. and are inserted in the Body of the Civil Law.

Some of these Constitutions are about the Doctrines of the Church, and particularly those which are under the first Title of the first Book; in which he defines, 1. That the only Son of God subsisting from all Eternity with the Father, who is in every place, where the Father is, hath taken both parts of our Nature Hypostatically united together; insomuch, that though he is the true God, he was also a real Man; that is to say, had an Human Body passible, and an intellectual, and reasonable Soul informing the Body by it self. 2. That the Side of Jesus Christ was opened after his Death, and that there came out of it Blood and Water to make a Church, which is One, without Spot, Holy, the Mother of the Faithful, and the Spouse of Jesus Christ. 3. That the Soul is really the form of the Body essentially and by it self. 4. That we must acknowledge one only Baptism, to be the Means of attaining Salvation, as well for the Adult, as Infants. 5. That the Opinion of those, who believe, that by that Sacrament Sanctifying Grace, and the habit of Vertue is infused into the Soul of Infants, is very probable, and conformable to the Expressions of the Holy Fathers, and Doctrine of the Modern Divines, and therefore is to be followed.

The Errors * 1.2 of the Begards and Beguines are condemned in the Constitution contained in the Third Chapter Tit. 3. of the Fifth Book, and are these: 1. That a Man in this Life may acquire

such a degree of Perfection, that he may become without Sin, and above the Estate of growing in Grace. 2. That they, which are arrived at that Perfection need not Fast or Pray, because in that estate the Senses are so subject to the Spirit, and to reason, that a Man may then freely allow his Body, what he pleases. 3. That they, who have attained this Spirit of Liberty are no ways obliged to obey, or tied to practise the Precepts of the Church. 4. That a Man may attain the highest degree of Happiness in this Life, and have the same degrees of Perfection as in the other. 5. That every Intelligent Creature is naturally happy, and that the Soul hath no need of the Light of Glory to raise it to the Vision and Enjoyment of God. 6. That the Practice of Virtue is for imperfect Men, and the Soul of the Perfect may dispense with the Practice of them. 7. That to Kiss a Woman is a Mortal Sin, but the Carnal Knowledge of her is no Sin. 8. That in the Elevation of the Body of Christ, it is not necessary for the Perfect to rise up, or pay it any respect; because it would be an Imperfection in them to descend from the Purity and height of their Contemplation to think of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, or the Passion of Jesus Christ.

In the fifth Title of the Fifth Book concerning Usurers, not only Clement V. forbids the Practice of it, but he condemns also them for Heresie, who obstinately hold and assert that it is no Sin.

In the fifth Title of the third Book, he forbids the Administration of Baptism out of the Church, and in the fourteenth of the same Book, Chap. 1. he makes divers Rules for the Cele∣bration of Divine Service.

The sixteenth Title of the same Book, contains a Bull for the Institution of the Feast of the Holy Sacrament by Urban IV. confirmed by Clement V.

He renews in the eighteenth Title of the fifth Book, the Laws and Penalties imposed upon those that assault or imprison Clergymen.

In the tenth Title of the same Book, he appoints, that Penance shall be granted to Persons Condemned to Death for their Crimes, notwithstanding the contrary usage.

In the thirteenth Title of the first Book, Chap. 2. he declares, That the Cardinals, during the Vacancy of the Holy See, have not the Pope's Power, but may nevertheless provide for the Offices of Chamberlain and Penitentiary, if they, that are in these Offices, happen to die; That the Election of a New Pope ought to be made in the place, where the last died; That if any of the Cardinals go out of the Conclave before the Election, they ought to be compelled to return; That no Cardinal ought to be hindred from giving his Vote under a Pretence of Excommunica∣tion, Suspension, or Interdict, &c.

The other Clementines concern the Collations of Benefices, Elections, Renunciations, Right of Lapses, Patronages, the Age of Beneficed Persons, the Manners of Clergymen, Wills, Burials, the Inquisition, and the Office of Inquisitors, Treasurers, Excommunications, Interdicts, the Authority of Judges Delegates, the manner of Proceedings, and other Matters of the Canon Law.

Lastly, There are several, that concern the Reformation of Monks, as Chap. 1. and 2. of the tenth Title of the third Book, which contain divers Rules for Monks and Nuns, and Chap. 1. of the eleventh Title of the fifth Book, which contains the famous Decretal, Exivi, concern∣ing the Rule of S. Francis. In the Second Chapter Tit. 7. Lib. 2. he regulates the difference be∣tween the Mendicant-Friars and the Ordinaries concerning their Preachings and Confessions, and allows the former to Preach in their own Churches, Schools, and Publick Places; but it forbids them Preaching in their Parishes, unless invited by the Curates, if the Bishop does not order them. And as to Confessions, he orders the Provincials and Priors to address themselves to the Bishops, that they would permit them to choose a certain Number of their Monks to hear Con∣fessions, whom they would present to them, to have their Approbation; That if the Bishops think fit to reject some of them, they shall name others; but if they shall absolutely refuse to grant them such a Permission, the Monks may do it by virtue of the Power, which the Holy See shall give them. In Chap. 1. Tit. 7. Lib. 5. he forbids the Monks to Administer the Sacraments of Ex∣tream Unction, the Lord's Supper, and Marriage, without the Permission of the Curate; or to Absolve the Excommunicated; He forbids them to speak ill of the Bishops in their Ser∣mons; to discourage the Faithful from going to their Churches; to make Restitutions; absolve Special Cases; to vex the Clergy; by citing them unfitly before the Judges Delegates. And in Chap. 1. Tit. 9. Lib. 3. he declares, that they, who have made Profession in the Order of Beg∣ging-Friars, if they go over to another Order, shall bear no Offices in it, nor have a Vote in the Chapter.

All these Constitutions were not made in the Council of Vienna, but some before, and some af∣ter, and of those, which were published during the Session of that Council, none but such, as concern the Faith and the Condemnation of the Errors of the Begards and Beguins, the Consti∣tution concerning the Privileges of the Mendicant-Friars, the Study of Tongues in the Univer∣sities, and the Inquisition, were approved in it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Gene∣ral Council of Vienne, in 1311.
• * 1.2

  The Be∣gards, and Beguines, who are by this Council of Vienne Condemned as Hereticks, and many Heterodox Assertions and Doctrines either feigned, or by depraving some unwary Expressions of theirs laid to their Charge, were, as our Historians relate, a very Religious sort of Men, and much reve∣renced by many Learned Men of that time, but detesting the Errors of the Church of Rome, and not fearing to teach, that the Roman Church was not the true Catholick Church, that Boniface VIII. and John XXII. were not lawful Popes, that the Emperor was not Subject to the Pope in Temporals, that the Host was not to be adored, with many other things not agreeing to the Doctrines of the present Church of Rome, they fell under the displeasure of those Popes, and their Bishops, who Excommunicated them, and Condemned in their Councils; but as Ockam wrote for them against John XXII. so at the latter end of this Age Gregory XI. stood up in their Defence, and Absolved them from their Excommunication, so that they spread much in Italy and Germany.