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.

SECTION X.

Reasons which may be alledg'd to shew, that 'tis probable Gerson was the Author of the Book of Imitation.

THere are not wanting either Reasons or Conjectures, for ascribing the Book of the Imitation to Gerson.

To which purpose it may be observ'd,

First, That 'tis very probable the Author did not write either in Germany, where there is an Emperor, or in Italy, or in Piemont, but in a Country which was govern'd by a King, because he says B. 1. C. 2. N. 1. Nemo sine tribulatione aliqua quamvis Rex sit vel Papa; for if he had written in Germany, he would have said, Quamvis sit Imperator vel Papa; and if he had written in Italy, or in Piemont, he would have said, Quamvis sit Papa, or quamvis magnus Dux sit aut Papa; which signifies that he liv'd under the Government of a King, as did Gerson in France.

Secondly, That 'tis very probable the Author of the Imitation was Educated in an University, and that he had a great Acquaintance and Conversation with the Doctors and Canons of his time, who died before him; for this appears from what he says, B. 1. C. 3. N. 5. Dic mihi, ubi sunt modo omnes illi Domini & Magistri, quos bene novisti dum adhuc viverent, & in studiis florerent! Jam eorum praebendas alii possident: He says not Ubi sunt omnes Abbates, Priores Religiosi? but he says, Ubi sunt modo omnes illi Domini & Magistri: He says not, Jam eorum Abbatias, Prioratus alii possident; but he says, jam eorum Praeben∣das alii possident: He says not only, Qui fuerunt ante te, but he says, Quos bene novisti dum adhuc viverent, & in studiis florerent. He often makes use of these ways of speaking, B. 3. C. 43. N. 2. Veniet tempus quando apparebit Magister Magistrorum Christus: He does not say, Abbas Abbatum, B. 1. C. 3. N. 2. Taceant omnes Doctores: He speaks of the Disputes of the School, Ibid. Quid curae nobis de generibus & speciebus? Ibid. N. 3. Quid prodest tibi alta de Trinitate disputare? He speaks like a Man whose Business it was to read and hear, Ibid. N. 2. Taedet me saepe multa legere & audire. He shews what use we should make of our Studies, Ibid. C. 2. N. 3. Noli ergo extolli de ulla arte vel scientia, sed potius time de data tibi notitia. C. 7. N. 1. Non confidas in tua scientia. B. 3. C. 43. N. 1. Nunquam ad hoc legas verbum ut doctior aut sapientior possis videri.

Thirdly, It may be observ'd, that Gerson had 5 Brethren, and 7 Sisters; that his Father and Mother had liv'd very Piously; that 3 of his Brethren were Regulars, and that one of them died when he was an Infant, as did also one Sister; and that of the 6 other Sisters there was but one that Married, as he himself testifies in an Epigram which he wrote, with other Poems upon his own Testament; and that in 1428. probably his Sister Paulina, and his Brother Nicolas died of the Plague. He says also in the same place, that his Country was Gerson, Gerson origo fuit. Now all this does perfectly correspond to what we read in the 4th Book of the Imita∣tion, C. 9. N. 5. Offero tibi omnia pia desideria devotorum, necessitates Parentum, Amicorum, Fratrum, Sororum, omniumque carorum meorum. If we understand the Author as speaking in his own Person, then Necessitates Parentum may be meant of the Spiritual Wants which Fathers and Mothers may have in another Life, for it is not probable that they were then alive, since they were Aged 60 Years. But these words cannot be understood of Thomas a. Kempis, supposing that he speaks in his own Person, and not in the Person of another; for Rosweidus says, that he never had but one Brother, as is reported.

Fourthly, The Sentiments and Doctrin of the Author of the Imitation do perfectly resemble those in the Books of Piety written by Gerson. He inspires the Reader with a great Contempt of all vain Knowlege in the whole first Book, and chiefly in•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 1st, number 2, & 3. and speaking of Benefices, B. 3. C. 3. N. 2. Pro modica, says he, Praebenda longa via curritur. Now Gerson was Doctor, and Flourish'd a long while in the University of Paris, in the Quality of Chancellor: After the same manner he speaks in his Epistle, de Conversione & perseverentia in bono proposito, in the 3d part of his Works, fol. 374. Recogita ubinam sunt tecum studentes, ubi illi

familiares S••cii, cum quibus vivere & sapere dulce erat .... quam multi jam obierunt, quam multi jam vagi in saeculo remanserunt .... audisti alios Romam pergere, & pro Beneficiis labo∣rare; alios Parisiis residere & ad Magisterium tendere. And what is yet more remarkable, when he writes to his Brother Nicolas, to testifie to him the joy he had conceiv'd for his becoming a Regular, he tells him that he had perish'd if he had continu'd in a Secular Life, and had taken the Degree of a Licentiate, or Master of Arts; Ille qui a puero misertus est tibi, dans tibi cor pium & timoratum, & super Afflictos compatientem, superaddidit misericordiam ut te repelleret a saeculo nequam in quo jam demergendus pene fueras irrevocabiliter, si Licentiam aut Magisterium in Artibus adeptus fuisses. Et proprias conjecturas ex aliis accipe. May it not therefore be that it was with respect to this Brother, that he wrote what is in the first Book of the Imitation; for he had a great esteem of this Brother, and 'tis he, of whom he says, that he was Conceiv'd by the Vows of his Mother: Denique noli oblivisci misericordiam Domini in Progenitoribus nostris, in Matre praesertim, quae ineffabilibus Votis etiam ante tui conceptum, te talem aliquem a Domino quaesivit, velut Anna altera Samuelem. Deinde natum & adultum jugibus fere lachrymis, in hoc statu, sicut pie sentio, progenuit. Meministi, opinor, literarum quae super hoc praebent indicium, & quae alteram Augustini Matrem repraesentant, eam erga te redd••s ei vicem orationum tuarum, & in te uno nos omnes erga Deum Intercessorem habebimus. 'Tis to him that he writes thus, Omnis homo qualis Interius est, talis ei exterior adversitas erit .... Non est magna Patientia quam parva res perturbat .... Tu ergo esto libenter reus, ut fias ante Deum Innocens, tu primo a teipso incipe, & sic poteris alium sanare. Audeas tamen qui zelum videris habere adversus aliorum de∣fectus .... quia recte & prudenter ageres, si zelum tuum etiam centra commotionem tuam exer∣ceres .... Quid enim mihi prodest, si aliquem verbis meis sanavero, & in propriis meis passioni∣bus mansero? Which is very like to that which is in the 2d Book of the Imitation, C. 3. N. 1. Tene te primo in pace, & tunc poteris alios pacificare .... Habe primo Zelum super teipsum, & tunc juste zelare poteris etiam proximum tuum. 'Tis to the same Brother he says, Impedit nos valde quod non audemus violentiam inferre Naturae .... Hodie aliquid inchoare, & eras modicum addere .... Perficit hominem virtuosum; which is very agreeable with what is in the first Book of the Imitation, C. 11. N. 5. Si omni anno unum vitium exti paremus, cito viri perfecti efficeremur.... Si modicam violentiam faceremus in principio, tunc postea cuncta possemus facere cum levitate & gaudio. 'Tis to him that he says, O quantos labores faciunt homines pro terrenis lucrandis, & nos pro aeternis bonis marcescimus; which is very consonant to what is in B. 3. of the Imitation, C. 3. N. 2. Pro modica Praebenda longa via curritur, pro vita aeterna a multis vix pes semel a terra levatur. Tis to him that he says, Considera teipsum quod quaeris in Operibus tuis, quod diligis, & quod non diligis. Secundum desideria sua fit homo stabilis aut vagus. Qui multum concupiscit, & multa habere vult, quomodo in se manebit? dispergitur in omnem ventum Coeli, & capitur laqueo desiderii terreni. Parva res est saepe propter quam adipiscendam generatur homini perplexitas magna, sed qui omnia a se expellit, permittens unumquodque stare sicut venit, bene in pace erit.... O quanta adhuc discere habet, qui non videt quantum adhuc ille deficit, & O quam longe stat! 'Tis to him that he says, Suscipiamus, Carissime, De manu dei, quicquid voluerit super nos venire Deus, nihil enim sine certa & justa causa agitur in terris; & ideo nos Deo oportet subjicere Cor nostrum & sensum nostrum, ut respiciens humilitatem & patientiam no∣stram, bene disponat desiderium nostrum, &c. 'Tis to him that he says, the Philosophers have not known the Truth, but Jesus Christ being come, has said, He that followeth me, walketh not in darkness, which are the first words of the first Book of the Imitation. 'Tis to him that he says, Via Crucis via nostra, via Electorum, via Paucorum.... Frangere propriam voluntatem crux est.... Memento quantum sancti pro vita aeterna laboraverint, in qua nunc cum Christo sine fine regnantes gaudent.... Quanto in inferiori & humiliori statu cor fuerit, tanto verius saepe bona agit, & facilius habita custodit, Si alii praecedunt nos, quid ad nos, sequamur Jesum humilitate & simplicitate, & non curemus humanam vanitatem.... Quae major gloria quam cum Christo gloriari in Cruce? quae major consolatio cordis, quam portare viventem imaginem Cruci∣fixi? 'Tis to him that he says, Quam multi divites, Nobiles & Potentes, quam multi sapientes, literati & famosi adolescentes in hoc saeculo miserabiliter fluctuant & abjicere jugum Diaboli a suis cervicibus non praevalent, nec illo Spiritu adhuc moventur ut saeculo renuntient. O vanitas vanita∣tum mundum diligere & quae Dei sunt minus curare! Venit tempus, venit cito tempus, quod omnes seculares & carnales voluptates finem habebunt. And lastly, 'tis to him that he says, Denique Frater Carissime, noli in vanum gratiam accipere quae data est in te; audisti carissime, quomodo teip∣sum debes vincere. All which Sentiments and Maxims are very agreeable to those in the Book of Imitation.

The Style of Gerson's Works of Piety, is not so different from that of the Imitation of Jesus Christ, as may be imagin'd at first. His Stile is more dry and harsh in his Books of Doctrin, but in his Books of Piety and Devotion it is more sweet and soft, and very like to that of the Imitation.

Sixthly, Gerson Cites no part of the Book of Imitation; he exhorts the Celestines to read Books of Piety, such as those of St. Bernard, and others, in an Epistle which he wrote to their Provincial. He Exhorts likewise an Hermit of Mount Valerian to Read Books of Devotion, and he sets down many of them for him; but he never mentions any part of the Imitation, which proves that he had no knowledge of it: Yet you may see in Gerson Sentences and Expressions very like to those which are in the Book of Imitation; if you will read the Letter which he addres'd to this Hermite, in the Fourth part of his Works, P. 51. the Letters which he wrote to his

Brother Nicolas in the same Part, Fol. 372, 373, 374. the Book de Mendicitate Spirituali, Fol. 387. and the Treatise de Considerationibus quas debet habere Princeps, Part 2. Fol. 279. All which gives occasion to conjecture that the Author of the Imitation is not more ancient than Gerson, and that it was he, or some other who had read his Works, who wrote this Book.