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.

Letters concerning the Discipline of the Church.

In the Letters of S. Isidore there are a great many important things worthy of our Observation touch∣ing the Discipline of the Church. He condemns Symony in an infinite number of them, l. 1. 26, 29, 30, 45, 106, 111, 119, 120, 136, 145, 158, 315. l. 2. 125. l. 3. 17, &c. He taxes all those Exactions which were used upon the account of Ordinations, with this Crime. He con∣demns, in several places, those who ambitiously sought for Bishopricks. He reminds the Priests about the Administration of the Sacrament of Penance, that they have Power to bind as well as loose; That they neither may nor ought to loose those, who bring no Medicine for their Sins, and who do not endure a Penance proportionable to the greatness of their Crimes. He advertiseth them, That they ought to be Ministers of Jesus Christ, and not Fellow-Criminals; That they are Intercessors with God and not absolute Judges; That they are Mediators and not Masters, l. 3. 260. He tells the Deacons, That they are the Bishop's Eye, and that they ought to be very careful in the management of the Church's Revenue, l. 1. 19. He orders all Ecclesiastical Persons to carry themselves modestly, and avoid the familiarity, converse and sight of Women, l. 1. 89. l. 2. 284, 278. l. 3. 11, 66. He requires them to be subject to Princes, and pay them Tribute, l. 1. 48. He observes, That in the Apostle's time the Christians had no Churches, but that in his time they were become very sumptuous and fine, l. 2. 246. He blames the Bishop of Damiata for having built a stately Church, with the Money which he had scraped toge∣ther by selling Ordinations, and other Exactions of the People. He tells him, That it is to build Zion by Blood, and establish Jerusalem by Iniquity; as it is said in the Prophet Micah; That a Sacrifice made up of another Mans Substance, is an Horror and an Abomination to the Lord. He advises him to give over building that Church at the expence of the People, if he would not have that lofty Temple convince him of Injustice before God, and be a Monument, that shall cry eter∣nally against him, and which shall require the restitution of what he hath taken from the Poor, and Vengeance for oppressing of them, l. 1. 37. We find also some Ceremonies of the Church taken notice of in S. Isidore's Letters. In his time the Bishop wished Peace to the People, and the Con∣gregation answered, And with you also, l. 1. 122. The Deacons which ministred at the Altar wore a Linen Vestment, and the Bishops had a kind of Cloke made of Woollen, which covered their Neck and Shoulders, which they put off when the Gospel began to be read. The first of these Habits, according to Isidore, denotes the Humility of Jesus Christ; and the second, represented the wandring Sheep, which the good Shepherd brings home upon his Shoulders, l. 2. 246. The Cu∣stom

then was to allow Women to sing in the Church; but S. Isidore says, That they had abused that practice, by causing themselves to be admired for the sweetness and harmony of their Voice, and were no less blame-worthy, than if they sang prophane Songs, and that they ought to be for∣bidden singing in the Church for the future, l. 1. 90. Divorce was only allowed in case of Adul∣tery. The Reason which S. Isidore gives for it, is this, That Adultery is the only Sin by which conjugal Faith is violated, and which brings into a Family the Children of Strangers, l. 2. 376. He could not bear those who asserted, That Comedies might be of good use to beget a detestation of Vice, and make Men more vertuous. The aim and design of Comedians, saith he, is clear con∣trary; and their Art hath no other end, than to hurt and corrupt Manners, l. 3. 336. Those, who are pleased to see counterfeit Passions represented, ordinarily become passionate; it is then ne∣cessary to keep from going to Comedies; for it is easier to avoid the occasion, and to oppose the first approaches of Vice, than to stop the course of it, when it is once begun, l. 5. 433. He says, That a Person condemned by his Bishop ought no where to be received into Communion; but he observes, That altho' this were the regular course, yet many Bishops of his time had neglected it; and that was the reason, that the good Bishops dare not take upon them to correct their disorderly and vitious Clergy.