SECTION XI.
The Reasons which prove that the Book of the Imitation is not Gerson's.
THere are but two Reasons alledg'd against Gerson, the Profession of the Author, who de∣clares himself a Monk, as we have seen, and the difference of Style.
The First of these Reasons may appear decisive against Gerson; yet it may be said, that he speaks in the Person of those for whom he writes, and so Gerson does in the Treatise upon these words, Venite ad me omnes, for says he, Si semel nos Jugo astrinxerimus, non liceat nobis de Monasterio egredi & collum excutere de subjugo Regulae.... Propter quod natus est▪ benedictus legislator noster. And in the Tract, De Solitudine Ecclesiasticorum, written for the Celestines, he says, hoc jubet supremus Abbas noster Jesus Christus. And in the Epistle, Pro Confortatione alicujus tentati, he says, Vita Clericorum, Monachorum & omnium Religiosorum in Cruce, &c. si aliam viam quaerimus, erramus.
We may also Observe, 1st, That Gerson liv'd as an Hermit for the space of 10 years at Lyons before his death; for he died in 1429. And it appears from the Letter of his Brother John the Celestine, to his other Brother Anselm, written in 1423. that he had then retir'd for the space of 4 years, and that he liv'd there in great peace of mind, which made him say, that he never had so clear and vigorous a Spirit. And he adds, that he could hardly prevail with him to put forth some Tracts under his Name, except only those which he was oblig'd to write by reason of his Office as Chancellor, or Doctor; and that he neglected a great number of them, whereof some are lost, as that which he wrote, de Nuptiis Sapientiae, which was the Cause why he could not ex∣actly set down all his Books. 2dly, That Gerson had been desir'd by the Celestines to write something upon these words: Si quis vult venire post me abneget seipsum, & tollat Crucem suam, & sequatur me. For this he says plainly in a Letter which he wrote to them, which is about the end of the 3d Part of his Works; And his Brother John the Celestine says also that they had pray'd him to write something for their Edification. It appears also that he compos'd for them a Treatise upon these words, Venite ad me omnes qui onerati estis, which are the same with which the 4th Book of the Imitation begins. He wrote also other Treatises for them. May it not therefore be, that during this Retreat he applied himself particularly to meditate upon the Prin∣cipal Maxims of Renouncing the World, and so Compos'd the Book of the Imitation about the end of his Life, that he might send it to them? All this may be made use of to shew, that it is not altogether impossible that Gerson should be the Author of the Imitation, altho' the Author speaks like one that had embrac'd a Monastick Life.
As to the difference of Stile, 'tis true that the Stile of Gerson is different from that of the Imi∣tation, and that he handles matters in a manner more methodical, and less moving; but this difference is not so sensible in his Books of Piety; and it may be, that having a mind to compose a Work which might excite and nourish Piety, he applied himself so much the more to sweeten his Stile, and to fill his Book with affecting thoughts, and so assum'd a Stile and way of Writing, suitable to his Design.