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.

SECT. VIII.

The Manuscripts of the Book of the Imitation of Jesus Christ, which go under the Name of John Gerson, Chancellor of Paris.

IT cannot be deny'd that the more Common Opinion in France and Italy, about the latter end of the Fifteenth Century, was, that Gerson was not the Author of the Imitation: But the same Care has not been taken to Collect all the Manuscripts which are under the Name of Gerson, which has been us'd to gather all those which are under the Name, of Gersen or Thomas a Kempis, because there is no Society concern'd for him; tho' 'tis certain there are many such Manuscripts.

There is a very fine one in Parchment, Dated in 1460. in the Library of St. German de Prez, which begins with these words; Incipit Libellus devotus & utilis Magistri Joannis Gerson, de Imitatione Christi, & contemptu omnium vanitatum Mundi. And at the end of the Fourth Book, Explicit Liber quartus & ultimus de Sacramento Altaris, Anno Dom. 1460. 13 Kalend. Septembris.

The Manuscript of Saltzburg in Paper, of the year 1463. contains many Treatises; and in the Table, the Book of the Imitation is thus design'd; De Imitatione Christi, Joh. Gers. which signifies Gerson, for Gersen was not then known in Germany; besides, that an unknown Name, as

that of Gersen, is not commonly abridg'd; whereas that of Gerson being well known, is often abbreviated. At the end of the Book it is thus written: Explicit Liber internae consolationis per Fratrem Benedictum die Sabbati ante Festum omnium Sanctorum, Anno 1463. & Scriptus Saltzburg Monasterii Sancti Petri.

There is another Manuscript which belongs to Mr. Lechassier, which goes under the Name and Title of Gerson, which Mr. Launoy describes after the following manner. This Manuscript is, says he, all of Parchment; it contains 4 Books of the Imitation of Jesus Christ, and after∣wards the Treatise of John Gerson, of the Meditation of the Heart; and Lastly, the Synonyma's of Isidore of Sevil. On the backside of the first Leaf is the Picture of Gersond rawn in Miniature, in the Habit of a Doctor writing; and in the next Page are these words: Incipit Liber Primus Joannis Gerson Cancellarii Parisiensis de Imitatione Christi, & de contemptu omnium vanitatum Mundi, Cap. 1. Qui sequitur me, &c. And at the end of Book 4. Liber Magistri Joannis Ger∣son Cancellarii Parisiensis de Imitatione Christi, una cum Meditatione Cordis, unicuique Religioso & devoto necessarius finit. At the end of the Volume, Expliciunt Synonima Isidori Hispalensis Episcopi de homine & ratione ••mendata & summa cum diligentia castigata, per Magistrum Jaco∣bum Lupi Sacrae Theologiae Baccalaureum formatum, bene meritum. James of Lupi was Licentiate in Theology, of the Faculty of Paris, in 1497. January the 13th, and died in the Month of March, in 1498. There is no other Title given him here, but that of a Batchelor Formatus; which shews that this Manuscript preceeds the year 1497. in which he was Licentiate.

Those who stand up for Thomas a Kempis, have not any Manuscript more Ancient to oppose against Gerson; but those who assert that this Book is the Abbot Gersen's, ground their Opinion upon some Manuscripts which they pretend to be more Ancient than Gerson, or the Manuscripts that are Anonymous, or in which the Name of the Author is not John Gerson, but John Gersen, or Gesen, who is design'd in the Manuscript of Arona, by the Sirname of Abbot, which does no ways agree to Gerson. The Partizans of Gerson may answer, that there is no Manuscript of which any can be certain; that it is more ancient than Gerson, and that the Name of Gersen which is found in some, is nothing but a Corruption of the Name of Gerson. Others on the contrary maintain, that Gersen is the Name of the true Author, which gave occasion to ascribe it to Gerson, whose Name was better known than that of Gersen. This is a Controversie which can hardly be de∣cided, but by Examining the Manuscripts which go under the Name of Gersen, as we shall do hereafter.